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Nyore Madzianike Manicaland Bureau
PEOPLE of Manicaland should learn to solve some of their problems through engagement at local level before turning to Government for solutions. This was said by President Mnangagwa at a field day held at Hilderstroom Farm owned by Mr Irvene Taguta in Chipinge last Thursday.

The President was accompanied by his deputy, General Constantino Chiwenga (Retired), ministers and other top Government officials.

The President said Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Senator Monica Mutsvangwa had highlighted to him problems faced by people from her province and he would look into them.

“Your Minister, Mrs Mutsvangwa, has told us of all problems that you are facing here. She has highlighted to us a lot of problems when we had a meeting with her.

“You can as well solve some of the problems on your own before coming to us. These problems can be solved through engagement and discussions. Some of the problems can be solved through engaging us so that resources can be channelled here,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said he openly told Minister Mutsvangwa that Government would only look into some of the problems, which he could help in providing solutions.

He also promised to assist in the rehabilitation of a road in Mafararikwa in Marange.

“I have promised Mutumwa St Noah that the road will soon be refurbished and I will soon send someone from the District Development Fund to start working on the road. It is not too long and I think it is about 36 kilometres or so,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said he was told that people were not being employed in the diamond mining fields and promised to look into the matter.

“I was told that your children are not being employed in the diamond mining companies. These days Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) is the only company mining diamonds and it is now two years after Government passed a policy that ZCDC will be the only one doing mining there.

“With this new dispensation we changed the indigenous policy and it is our hope that when our company grows it will then start recruiting people,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said dialogue would help people find solutions to the challenges they were facing. He also said Government was planning to construct and refurbish the railway and road networks that connect Zimbabwe to Mozambique.

Zimbabwe’s roads, he said, were behind compared to those in neighbouring countries. He said there was need to put in place policies aimed at developing the country.

President Mnangagwa also revealed that soyabeans was now under the Command Agriculture programme with rural farmers expected to receive seed for free next farming season.

He also said there were plans to offer free 99-year leases to farmers who would in return pay a certain amount in taxes.

The President revealed that Government had sourced irrigation equipment from Spain in a bid to modernise farming activities in the country.

Governor of Mozambique’s Manica Province Mr Alberto Ricardo Mondlane, who attended the event, gave the President a gift of a sculpture, which he said was a symbol of unity.