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George Maponga in Masvingo

Chiredzi West constituency is set to hold its inaugural development indaba next week which, among other things, seeks to identify quick-win and game-changing projects for implementation to develop the constituency in line with President Mnangagwa’s “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” mantra.

The constituency is arguably the richest out of all the 26 constituencies in Masvingo province being home to the country’s sugar mills at Triangle and Hippo Valley estates while also a huge chunk of sugar plantations and Nuanetsi Ranch which is ideal for cattle ranching also falls under the constituency.

The indaba set for Chitsanga Hall next Wednesday will be presided over by Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira.

According to Chiredzi West National House of Assembly representative Cde Farai Musikavanhu the indaba will also try to locate the role of facilities such as constituency development fund(CDF), and devolution funding among others in the development matrix of the constituency.

Cde Musikavanhu noted that there were a lot of opportunities ready for exploitation in Chiredzi West to uplift people’s lives in line with Vision 2030.

“The indaba will be the first of its kind in our constituency and the main objective of having it is to make sure we collectively unpack all the potential game-changing projects that can transform the lives of people in the constituency in line with President Mnangagwa’s mantra that “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo,” said Cde Musikavanhu.

The legislator added that his constituency drew great inspiration from President Mnangagwa’s vision of making Zimbabwe an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 which is the basis of the current slogan that “no one and no place” will be left behind.

He noted that besides sugar cane farming under irrigation there was also scope for cattle ranching making Chiredzi the province’s beef production hub.

Other issues that will be up for discussion at the indaba will be the welfare of over 15 000 Tongaat Huletts Zimbabwe’s workers and also the viability of commercial sugar cane farmers and opportunities presented to them after the Government declared cane a strategic crop.

The issue of 750 hectares availed for Chiredzi Town expansion and granting of title deeds for those with houses in Chiredzi Town will also loom large.

Follow up on the deed of transfer of land donated by Hippo Valley estates to Chiredzi Town, added Cde Musikavanhu, will also be up for discussion.

Another contentious issue that will likely be discussed at the indaba are the findings of the 2016 Nhamo Commission report where councillors in the previous dispensation were reportedly fingered in shady land deals for personal financial enrichment.

Chiredzi West has around 100 000 people with the lives of the majority revolving around the sugar industry which is headquartered there.