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Walter Nyamukondiwa
Kariba Bureau
AS the Second Republic presses on with laying the pillars for economic and social transformation through massive infrastructure development, Government has committed $100 million towards completion of the Siakobvu Composite Government Complex.

The development is expected to set the tone for the establishment of a fully-fledged growth point, resurrecting a dream that faltered 18 years ago, exposing the material on-site to the vagaries of weather, theft and vandalism.

With Government working on improving the area’s connectivity through tarring of the Karoi-Binga Road, Siakobvu Business Centre is the main centre for the more than 30 000 rural population.

It is the first tranche of an expected $245 million bill with the Public Works department saying the project should be completed within a year, with substantial ground being covered this  year.

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga set the tone for the area’s development trajectory when he visited Siakobvu in 2018 and pledged that the Second Republic would push for a stand-alone district to ensure that the area experiences rapid development.

With the mantra; “Leaving no one behind”, the project buttresses Government desire for balanced development and with new functions being added the districts and provinces owing to the devolution programme, the scope of works on the site have been revised.

Mashonaland West provincial Public Works director Engineer Trymore Mutizwa confirmed that Treasury had released funds for the resumption of works.

A delegation including Public Works and National Housing permanent secretary Mr Zvinechimwe Churu and Mashonaland West provincial development officer Mr Josphat Jaji visited the site last week.

“The whole of last week saw us mobilising material to site. We intend to do and complete this project within a year. If all goes well as planned we will do the bulk if not all of the works this side of the year,” said Eng Mutizwa.

“The Mashonaland West Provincial Public Works Directorate has projected $245 260 000 as the funding required to resuscitate construction works at the Siakobvu Composite Government Offices Complex.”

Siakobvu was designated a growth point soon after Independence with land being set aside for construction of the office complex that was going to house Government Ministries and                                 departments.

“Since Siakobvu was given Growth Point status soon after independence. It has always been the province’s vision to see transformation of the former Rural Service Centre into a fully-fledged town, just like Gokwe Growth Point in the Midlands,” he said.

Growth points are designated areas which are expected to transform into towns within 10 and 15 years.

Lack of funding saw contractors moving off-site in 2003.

VP Chiwenga directed that Public Works carries out a needs and feasibility assessment for the resumption of the project with the scope of works now being expanded.

The meeting was attended by traditional leaders including Chiefs Mola, Negande, Musambakaruma and Nebiri.

The Vice President said there was need to create a stand-alone administrative centre at Siakobvu with all the necessary infrastructure.

All the other seven districts in Mashonaland West province including Chegutu, Hurungwe, Makonde, Mhondoro-Ngezi, Sanyati, Zvimba and Kariba are closer to administrative towns.

Truckloads of cement and river sand have been delivered on-site.

Since the coming in of the Second Republic several abandoned projects have been resuscitated while others including the Chinhoyi Courts have been  completed.