Zimpapers Logo

Lovemore Chikova Development Dialogue

When President Mnangagwa embarked on ground breaking for various projects soon after he assumed office in 2017, some failed to realise that the game had totally changed.

But come 2023, all the projects whose works the President commissioned are either complete or at the final stages of completion.

And these are not riff-raff projects – all of them have a high impact on people’s livelihoods and the economy.

These are projects that are proving to be the anchor for development in Zimbabwe, aiding a speed take-off towards attaining Vision 2030, which entails achieving an upper middle income economy.

President Mnangagwa has with no doubt performed extremely well in fulfilling the developmental agenda of the Second Republic.

This development is anchored by the National Development Strategy 1 and the Vision 2030 blueprints.

The projects that have taken off from ground breaking ceremonies to real structures are varied and in many economic sectors.

These include those in aviation, transport, energy, legislature, health and mining.

Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport

When President Mnangagwa performed a ground breaking ceremony in 2018 for the expansion of this important airport, there was nothing to indicate the work would be done within a short a period.

But now, the airport is glittering with a newly constructed terminal that hosts modern facilities for the enjoyment of travellers.

The airport, which awaits official opening in the next few days and is already being used by travellers in a test run, is a good example of the New Dispensation’s quest for modernising the country’s infrastructure to meet world standards.

The project included expansion of the international terminal building and aprons, installation of four new air bridges, a secondary radar system, construction of a VVIP pavilion, an airfield ground lighting system and communication systems.

While performing the ground breaking ceremony, President Mnangagwa said the upgrading and rehabilitation of the airport was a catalyst to economic development.

“It supports the broader national aspirations towards transport and infrastructure network in the country, as we endeavour to provide enablers to fully industrialise and modernise the economy,” he said.

Now, this dream has since been realised, the promise has been fulfilled.

New Parliament Building

In 2018, President Mnangagwa drove to Mt Hampden, about 30 kilometres from the city centre, to a hill where no one would imagine a huge, modern Parliament building would emerge.

He broke the ground at the site, signalling the beginning of construction works for the new 650-seater Parliament Building.

Today, a majestic Parliament building stands tall on top of the hill, after Shanghai Construction Group completed the works.

Members of Parliament had a fill of the new building when President Mnangagwa officially opened the 5th Session of the 9th Parliament of Zimbabwe in November last year at the new Parliament complex.

The imposing six-storey circular Parliament Building sits on a 70-metre platform.

Hwange Thermal Power Station Unit 7 and 8

President Mnangagwa officiated at the ground breaking ceremony of the expansion of Hwange Thermal Power Station under a $1,5 billion facility in 2018.

This is one of the important projects to the country as it ensures enough electricity supplies for the country, adding more than 600MW to the national grid.

Just recently, Unit 7 was put to the grid after successfully going through several tests, while Unit 8 is undergoing tests before it is fully commissioned.

This is one of the successes under President Mnangagwa, which has been achieved within the short period.

Speaking during the ground breaking ceremony, President Mnangagwa said: “As a key enabler, energy drives economic development by facilitating the delivery of basic amenities such as clean water, health, shelter and education, among others, to the country’s citizenry.”

Beitbridge Border Post modernisation

Another milestone ground breaking ceremony was done by President Mnangagwa in 2018 for the modernisation of the Beitbridge Border Post.

Now, a visitor who has been to the border post a few years ago will be taken by surprise to arrive at a fully transformed border post which meets world standards.

The works have been completed and a new, majestic border post equipped with all facilities that make the life of travellers easier is now in place.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony, President Mnangagwa said: “This milestone achievement will see the transformation of this port of entry to be a more robust and efficient economic enabler to trade, commerce and tourism.”

The revamping of the border came with the construction of water and sewer reticulation infrastructure and 220 houses for border staff, a new Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) depot, a fire station, an agriculture and animal quarantine facility, a new sewer oxidation dam and 11,4 megalitres water reservoir.

New terminals were built for each vehicle category, with the upgrading of the buildings, warehouses and roads, installation of new weigh-bridges and a new main freight terminal building being built.

Gwayi-Bulawayo Pipeline

In 2021, President Mnangagwa commissioned works on the Gwayi-Bulawayo Pipeline that will carry water to the second largest city from Lake Gwayi-Shangani.

Work on the 245-kilometre pipeline is expected to be complete by the end of this year, fulfilling the century-old dream of permanently solving Matabeleland’s water problems through the National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project.

Lake-Gwayi Shangani itself, another milestone projects, is about to be completed, with construction work in the final phases.

Dinson Iron and Steel Company plant

Just last year, President Mnangagwa performed a ground breaking ceremony at the steel plant in Manhize, which straddles Mashonaland East, the Midlands and Mashonaland West provinces.

The project — that encompasses the establishment of a Smart City — will see the beneficiation and value addition of steel production which will accelerate and drive the economy high up the value chain.

Dinson Iron and Steel is expected to produce more than 600 000 tonnes of steel per annum, earning the country millions of dollars in foreign currency.

What is important to note is that the company expects to start production by the end of this year, as construction of the plant is now advanced.

Harare-Betibridge Highway

When President Mnangagwa came into office, he reviewed what was being done to re-construct the Harare-Beitbridge Highway and realised that nothing was bringing positive results. No construction works had started despite that a company called Geiger International had been awarded the contract to work on the major highway.

The contract for this company was cancelled and a decision was made to engage local companies. Now, the major highway is almost complete with a newly constructed road.

Nearly 100 kilometres of the 580km stretch are remaining and will be completed in the next few months.

Feedback: [email protected]