Samuel Kadungure
News Editor
MANICALAND has recorded significant progress in implementing resolutions adopted at last year’s ZANU PF 22nd National People’s Conference, with major gains in value addition, irrigation development, infrastructure rehabilitation and energy generation transforming livelihoods across the province.
A check on implementation of resolutions made during the 22nd National People’s Conference in Mutare showed that when leadership focuses on people-centric outcomes like value addition, construction of irrigation schemes, energy generation, rehabilitation of road and infrastructure, among others, communities thrive, trust in institutions grows and societal progress becomes measurable and meaningful.
Addressing the 133rd ZANU PF Central Committee on Wednesday as a precursor to the 23rd National People’s Conference, which is currently underway in Chinhoyi, President Mnangagwa, said the theme of the conference, is instructive as it sought to produce tangible results rather than mere rhetoric.
The conference is being held under the theme: ‘From Resolutions to Results: Consolidating Economic Development and Deepening Economic Empowerment Towards Vision 2030’.
“Our gathering in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West Province, a location known for the historic battle of 1966, affords us the opportunity for renewal and recalibration. The Conference must further see us strengthen the intricate and enduring linkages between our revolutionary mass party, ZANU PF and the people, through wholehearted service. ZANU PF has a rich history of delivery and results. Greater focus will continue to be on ensuring that resolutions and decisions of our party remain impactful,” said President Mnangagwa.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, said the province embraced the party’s vision of promoting value addition and beneficiation.
“The party is the spring, and what it puts down is what Government implements. Prioritisation of value addition and beneficiation in Manicaland has been firing at all cylinders. We have companies that have gone into value addition like Wattle Pulp Manufacturing and Water Bottling Plant which is being put in Nyanga. We also have Tanganda, which is doing avocado oil processing in Chipinge. We have GreenFuel, which has expanded its distillation unit to double its ethanol production. We have the recapitalisation and modernisation at Dairiboard, Chipinge. We also have the boiling facility at Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) and Komo Pine Resin – a new kid on the block and game changer. A US$15 million plant has been put in Mutasa, the first of its kind in Zimbabwe and Africa, producing rubber-based products. The project has employed over 1 000 people and is targeting over 2 000 jobs,” said Minister Mugadza.
He said Manicaland possesses 27 000 hectares of irrigable land, with 16 000 hectares earmarked for maize this summer, alongside five major dams supporting active or planned irrigation schemes.
At Marovanyati Dam in Buhera, plans are underway to irrigate 1 250 hectares, with 400 hectares already developed ahead of a planned ground-breaking ceremony alongside Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka, next week.
Minister Mugadza said the President’s one-hectare booster kit project ranks Manicaland third in implementation.
In Mutasa, 72 hectares are operational with wheat, while 150 hectares sit at 50 percent completion. Additional schemes are at Mutema in Chipinge at 60 percent, Lee Farm, Mabiya, Marange, and Nzvimbe at various stages of completion.
Regarding clean water access, Minister Mugadza said 750 boreholes have been sunk across Manicaland, alongside 224 operational village business units (VBUs), addressing arid conditions in natural ecological regions four and five.
Minister Mugadza said infrastructure strides in Manicaland include the Christmas Bypass Road, which is over 40 percent completion, and ongoing upgrades at Forbes Border Post, where Chief Zimunya has provided land for relocated families.
He said a cargo-focused airport near irrigation hubs in Mutasa South will facilitate international exports.
Minister Mugadza said road upgrades and repairs are active on the Murambinda-Birchenough, Headlands-Mayo, Odzi-Marange, Chipinge-Mt Selinda, and Nyanga-Ruwangwe routes.
On energy, Minister Mugadza said Manicaland generates 53 megawatts against a demand of 120 to 150 megawatts, targeting 90 megawatts by 2027 through small-scale hydropower at every major dam in the province.
He said institutional solar installations average 150 kilowatts, with all 35 general hospitals being covered, led by Mutambara, Victoria Chitepo, and Rusape hospitals at 150 kilowatts, each.
He said Hwakwata and Nzvimbe solar plants operate at 200 kilowatts, Africa University at 650 kilowatts, and Hillcrest at 200 kilowatts, contributing five megawatts to the total mini-hydro output of 53 megawatts.
On export growth and the COMESA Summit, Minister Mugadza said:
“Talking about the rubber manufacturing, this is the first plant of its kind in Africa and Zimbabwe, and it is quite massive in its production. There is going to be exports, and we will take advantage of the COMESA Free Trade Area, and all the advantages that come with it. With Forbes Border Post being revamped and modernised, we expect smooth movement of goods and services and other incentives that come with the COMESA frameworks. We are expecting that to come as a boost in terms of production at the plant, and in terms of satisfying the market. We have good labour force for the company, and that is all going to add up to the achievement of Vision 2030, within the NDS2 framework.”
Addressing the 23rd Conference expectations, Minister Mugadza added:
“Our resolutions for the 23rd Conference are not too far removed from what is already happening on the ground because these are bread and butter issues. You cannot change them every time. We need acceleration of projects and programmes already underway. We need faster progress on roads, irrigation schemes and the cargo airport project, among others,” he said.
ZANU PF Manicaland provincial chairman, Cde Tawanda Mukodza, enthusiastically praised President Mnangagwa’s administration for faithfully executing key party resolutions, pointing to visible developmental milestones achieved across the province.
Cde Mukodza expressed strong optimism that ongoing service delivery initiatives will be intensified, adding that by speeding up these critical economic and infrastructural projects, Government will significantly ease daily hardships for local communities while ensuring that sustainable development directly benefits ordinary citizens.
“We sincerely commend Government for implementing our revolutionary party resolutions so religiously and effectively across every sector in Manicaland. The tangible transformation on the ground is undeniable, and we remain deeply hopeful that this incredible momentum will be aggressively accelerated going forward to make the daily lives of all our citizens much easier, more prosperous, and truly meaningful,” he said, adding that the province has raise required funds and foodstuffs, and also encouraging discipline from all delegates that travelled from Manicaland.
“We are going to make new resolutions, but in the true sense of it, there is nothing new, because these are bread and butter issue that came from the people. But there is a common resolution, which is that we need to align the party constitution with the national constitution. We have always said that the party is supreme, and there is need to align its constitution to what is on the ground on the Government side, and ensure that President Mnangagwa is the only party and Government leader upto 2030,” he said.
ZANU PF shifts from talk to delivery
