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Tawanda Mangoma  in Chiredzi
People from various sectors here have expressed hope that President Mnangagwa will deliver on his election promises to open new horizons for business and transforming the nation into a middle-income economy by 2030.

They said President Mnangagwa’s confirmation as Head of State and Government for the next five years marked the beginning of a new epoch, with high expectations that richly-endowed districts such as Chiredzi will begin to realise full benefits from their resources.

Chiredzi is arguably the richest district in Masvingo, boasting perennial flowing rivers and several dams that could be harnessed for irrigation, vast sugar cane plantations and diverse wildlife that could be a catalyst for tourism development, together with minerals such as coal and gold.

Mr Auspicious Ndlovu from Malipati in Chiredzi South said people in his area were confident that President Mnangagwa would deliver on his promise to make Zimbabwe an economic powerhouse, banking on the country’s rich natural resource base.

He said Chiredzi would be among the first districts to quickly take off economically because it boasts rich flat soils and abundant water for irrigation.

“The effects of climate change and global warming are now being witnessed here in Chikombedzi and crops are failing every year, while we continue to lose our livestock to droughts,” said Mr Ndlovu.

“This must give us an insight of what tomorrow looks like, but we are happy that President Mnangagwa has a full term in office and his Government will address some of the problems affecting people and set the country towards a middle income economy.”

Mr Ndlovu said President Mnangagwa’s administration should immediately come up with plans to exploit water from perennially flowing rivers in the Lowveld such as Save, Mwenezi, Chiredzi and Runde to boost food output.

Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association chairman Mr Jonathan Muusha said it was time President Mnangagwa made the people in Chiredzi benefit from their minerals such as coal, lithium and tantalite by bringing investors who will create jobs to reduce unemployment.

“The resources that we have can address issues of unemployment in Chiredzi District while diversifying the district economy from over-reliance on sugar cane farming,” he said.