Zimpapers Logo

Deputy Minister Muzenda

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Energy and Power Development Deputy Minister Tsitsi Muzenda has urged farmers in Matabeleland South to take advantage of rural electrification and renewable energy to boost livestock production.

The province has nearly 700 000 head of cattle. Electricity enables installation of water pumps, lighting for round the day feeding and powering mills for preparation of stockfeed.

Deputy Minister Muzenda made the remarks recently during the commissioning of Swereki Rural Electrification Project, 100 kilometres outside Beitbridge town.

The new project uses the Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) technology, a cost effective grid technology, which the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) adopted recently for use in rural areas across the country.

Two clinics, Government offices, four business centres, four primary schools and two secondary schools will benefit from the SWER project in Beitbridge.

“With the Government’s thrust on livestock command programme, it is important that we increase the coverage of electricity in remote areas,” said Deputy Minister Muzenda.

“Communities, especially those from Matabeleland South and other livestock production regions should maximise on its (electricity) availability.

“We will sit down with the Rural Electrification Fund Board and strategise on how best we can cater for such areas legging behind in terms of electricity supply, so that our agrarian reform continues to be a success story.”

Matabeleland Provincial Rural Electrification Fund manager Engineer Silba Zimwara said so far they had electrified 860 projects in the area.

Of these, 77 are in Beitbridge District. “As from its inception in 2002, we have electrified 279 primary schools, 116 secondary schools, 81 rural health centres, 48 Government extension offices, 22 chiefs, 10 business centres, 20 small scale farmers, 123 villages and 69 others,” said Eng Zimwara.

“Further, we have managed to build eight biogas digesters in the province in Gwanda, Bulilima, Matobo, Mangwe and Umzingwane districts.

“We are currently in the process of identifying other public institutions where we can build more biogas digesters.”

Eng Zimwara said they had also embraced solar energy to accelerate the rural electrification programme.