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Wimbainashe Zhakata Mutare Correspondent
THE City of Mutare and the Zimbabwe Special Economic Zones Authority (ZIMSEZA) last week held a stakeholders workshop aimed at expediting implementation of the Fern Hill project set to change the face of the Manicaland provincial capital.

Fern Hill township, which falls under the jurisdiction of the City of Mutare, was declared a special economic zone in September 2018, as part of Government efforts to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), generate revenue and create employment.

Under the Special Economic Zones projects, areas are zoned according to their geographical competitive advantage and nature of resources available. During the meeting, an architect Mr Hillary Mukaratirwa of Architecton Design Studio suggested establishment of an airport since the Fern Hill Special Economic Zone will deal in diamonds.

“It will be good to construct an airport in Fern Hill because rich people use aeroplanes to move around with their gemstones,” said Mr Mukaratirwa. “When moving valuable stones, it is safer to travel by air rather than using the road.”

According to ZIMSEZA, Fern Hill has 87 hectares, and is 10 kilometres from the border with Mozambique.

Fern Hill is also less than 100km from Chiadzwa diamond fields and its climatic conditions are conducive for agriculture, among other things.

In a presentation, ZIMSEZA focal person for Mutare Mrs Phoebe Mudereki said: “There are investment opportunities that are identified in Fern Hill such as diamond mining and processing, tea and coffee production and processing, pinewood production and processing, among others.”

ZIMSEZA technical head Mr Wilfred Motsi said they were enjoying full cooperation from the City of Mutare.

“Fern Hill is going well and the people of Mutare are working together to improve this economic zone,” he said. “We called other stakeholders today to come and discuss more issues on the project.”

According to the City of Mutare, Fern Hill will be modelled around a gemmology centre to be constructed by the School of Mines and its partners for the cutting and polishing of diamonds. Other facilities include five-star hotels and lodges for accommodation and conference facilities.

Mutare City Council Town Clerk Mr Joshua Maligwa noted that the Fern Hill project was a vital cog in Government’s devolution efforts.

He said SEZ may also be established in other parts of Manicaland as it was endowed with other natural resources besides diamonds.