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Columbus Mabika in CHIMANIMANI
The Zimbabwe Defence Forces will forever remain a people’s force ready to work for and with the people, Commander ZDF Philip Valerio Sibanda said yesterday while handing over two blocks of classrooms to the Roman Catholic Mutare Diocese at the new St Charles Luwanga High School in Chimanimani.
The school moved to a new site following the destruction of the old school by Cyclone Idai in 2019.
Construction of the blocks was funded by the Catholic Church, while the ZDF, through the Mutare-based 3 Infantry Brigade, provided construction artisans, thereby reducing costs.
The donation comes as the ZDF started its annual community assistance week, where it hands over projects constructed in collaboration with other stakeholders and communities.
Said Gen Sibanda: “It is clear that the ZDF and communities enjoy a mutual and fruitful relationship.
“We enjoy relations with communities that house establishments and units. We therefore feel obligated to support and assist communities when need arises and it is in our means to do so.
“The symbiotic relationship between the ZDF and communities demonstrated through these projects resonates well with the national objective of leaving no one and no place behind.”
Applauding the Roman Catholic for the initiative, Gen Sibanda said the partnership between Government and the church went a long way in development projects and other social provisions.
Communities that had works they wanted constructed should mobilise materials first and the ZDF would provide them with construction artisans.
Gen Sibanda said the ZDF had been empowered to extend its mandate beyond the traditional realms of security and defence to effectively contribute to social and economic development.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerayi Moyo said education was the bedrock upon which a nation’s future is built.
“This is a shining example of the holistic approach to nation building where the various arms of Government work in seamless harmony to uplift the lives of our citizens,” he said.
Minister Moyo said the ZDF’s community assistance week demonstrates the power of integrated, cross-sectoral strategy.
By leveraging the capabilities of the military to support critical missions, Government was able to deliver high quality infrastructure that will benefit the country for generations, he added.
Roman Catholic secretary for education Mr Lawrence Chibvuri hailed the assistance from the ZDF.
“As the Diocesan Education Commission, we are impressed with the workmanship and attention to the work that was done at this school,” he said. Elsewhere, Commander Zimbabwe National Army, Lieutenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe handed over a three-roomed classroom block at Samanyika Primary School in Nyanga as the handover of finished projects continues.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter