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Dr Zivhu

George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
Chivi district is set for a massive socio-economic transformation following the launch of the second phase of Village Zim-Asset, targeting the development of key infrastructure such as roads, bridges and schools across the district. Under the second phase of Village Zim-Asset, villagers in the drought-prone district will also get assistance to embark on widespread water harvesting to end chronic food shortages. Speaking during the launch of the programme at Banga Irrigation Scheme in Shindi communal lands in Chivi South on Saturday, Chivi Rural District Council chairperson Dr Killer Zivhu said embracing water harvesting was the only way to stem hunger in the district.

“Under the second phase of Village Zim-Asset, we are targeting development and upgrading of roads, bridges, schools and even clinics and we will assist villagers with building materials while they provide the labour,” he said.

“We are saying it is incumbent upon us to develop our own roads so that we can easily take our farming produce to the market, among other benefits. What we are saying is that gone are the days we should fold our hands and wait for central Government to do everything for us, we must use our own hands and energy to repair and even build bridges in our area and I am promising you all the building materials that you will require.” Dr Zivhu pledged to donate 6 000 bags of cement that will be used for repairing of bridges and schools across the district. He said water harvesting was critical if villagers in the dry Chivi district were to cushion themselves against the ravages of recurrent droughts caused by climate change.

“We must always make sure that we harvest water whenever it rains because we are now faced with the ghost of climate change that is causing more droughts, so let’s always make sure that we preserve the water that we get whenever it rains through water harvesting,” said Dr Zivhu.

“If we harvest water, we will be able to sustain our crops to ensure food security and even for the survival of our livestock.” Dr Zivhu challenged plotholders at Banga Irrigation Scheme to fully ensure maximum food production, adding that they were going to get priority in the allocation of agriculture inputs that will soon be distributed under the Presidential Well-Wishers Inputs Support Scheme. He rapped councillors and village heads who abused agricultural inputs donated by President Mugabe, saying favouritism and corruption will not be tolerated. Dr Zivhu said he was going to make sure that villagers in Chivi benefited from the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam through irrigation.

“We will make sure that our own people benefit from Tokwe-Mukosi to transform their lives through irrigation,” he said. “Of course, we have some families who were relocated to Mwenezi from the area around the dam, but we are saying there should be no more relocations. All the people who remained should now start to accrue benefits from this dam.’’ Dr Zivhu also launched the Biometric Voter Registration campaign in Chivi South and challenged villagers in the area to make sure they registered for them to help retain President Mugabe in power during next year’s elections. He donated 36 beasts to villagers at all the 32 wards in Chivi district where the Biometric Voter Registration campaign will be launched in the next few weeks. Apart from the Chivi Village Zim-Asset, Dr Zivhu also launched the Village Command Agriculture in the district last year and the programme has transformed the lives of villagers.