Online Reporter
Chronicle Writer
THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has completed 11 of the 24 village and school business units (VBUs) being developed in Maphisa, Matobo District, Matabeleland South, with the remaining 13 at various stages of construction.
The 24 VBUs form part of preparations for the 46th Independence Day Celebrations, which will be hosted in Maphisa for the first time — an event intended to reinforce the Second Republic’s drive to decentralise national commemorations.
President Mnangagwa is expected to preside over the celebrations, which are projected to draw thousands of people.
In its latest statement, Zinwa’s head of corporate communications and marketing, Mrs Marjorie Munyonga, said the VBUs — classified as legacy projects for the province — would significantly uplift local communities.
“To date, 11 of the 24 business units have been successfully completed while the remaining 13 are at different levels of completion. Typically comprising a solar-powered borehole, one-hectare drip technology horticulture project, fishponds and a communal water point, village and school business units are transformative interventions being implemented under the auspices of the Presidential Rural Development Programme and are aimed at uplifting livelihoods for rural communities,” she said.
Under the Presidential Rural Development Programme — which seeks to establish 35 000 village business units, 9 600 school business units and 4 500 Youth Business Units — Zinwa is the lead agency responsible for the development of infrastructure.
“These village, school and youth business units are registered as formal companies and are run on sound commercial lines with locals as both employees and shareholders, earning monthly salaries and sharing dividends at the end of a given trading period,” said Mrs Munyonga.
The Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) oversees registration of the units and manages their day to day operations, while the Agricultural Marketing Authority secures markets that guide crop selection.
“For purposes of a stable, reliable and uninterrupted water supply during the Independence celebrations, a total of 67 boreholes have since been drilled, including at the venue of the celebrations, host schools and surrounding areas,” said Mrs Munyonga.
“Four boreholes have been drilled and equipped at Maphisa Stadium; the venue of the celebrations and the necessary water take-off points have been successfully established. School business units at Mahetshe Primary, Minda Primary and Tjewondo Secondary school have been completed.”
She said other schools where business units are planned — and where work is now at an advanced stage — include Shashane Secondary School, Tjewondo Primary School, Gohole Primary School, Lingwe Primary School, Kezi Primary School and Mangala Primary School.
About 16 boreholes have also been drilled at the tourism rondavels, Mrs Munyonga added.
