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Sam Matema – Buhera Central Member of Parliament

When President Mnangagwa, pronounced himself on the need to rotate the independence celebrations across the provinces, many never saw the vision that he had.

This is the easiest and fastest way of bringing development to the people outside normal programming by Government.

Independence fosters unity, peace and development, and in the current circumstances, we are chasing and working towards the crystallisation of Vision 2030.

With the independence celebrations for the year 2024 going to Manicaland Province, and Buhera in particular, the district has experienced development that has not been seen since independence in 1980.

It has opened a whole host of opportunities. It has brought to the fore the huge opportunities offered by the district across sectors, and has not only put Buhera District on the national map but the international one as well.

 Basic infrastructure development

With the unity and peace ushered in by the independence of our great country, development towards Vision 2030 through National Development Strategy One (NDS1), under the leadership of President of Mnangagwa, is inevitable.

There has been massive face-lifting of roads, schools, clinics, water and sanitation infrastructure as well as tourist attractions in the past days.

Buhera will never be the same again, thanks to the National Independence celebrations that came to the district.

As for Murambinda Growth Point, the highlight is the construction of a stadium, whose first match will be between Dynamos and Highlanders football clubs as they clash in the Uhuru Cup today at the Uhera Stadium.

The implications

National independence celebrations wherever they are held, are a development multiplier in many respects.

First and foremost, they reorient and develop the mindset of the hosts. This is the best asset that this event bequeaths to the hosts and the nation at large.

Media outlets; print, electronic, outdoor and social media platforms are inundated with stories, news and documentaries, among others, that speak to the struggle for independence in an attempt to reconnect and amplify the struggles and sacrifices that gave birth to an independent Zimbabwe. When that message has been hammered home successfully, it becomes easy to realign those that have been obtuse to the cause of our motherland.

When it comes to matters of national interest, we do not have a choice, we must converge for the greater good, and take advantage, as a collective, of the massive opportunities presented by these celebrations. When we take the celebrations to other districts in the spirit of devolution, we must leave the host district visibly transformed, and this is what is obtaining in Buhera across different social, economic and ecological categories.

SDGs Agenda and discourse in the context of our independence

Independence ushers in unity and peace that facilitate partnerships (SDG17) in working towards set targets, as captured in Vision 2030 via working with the State, corporate world, non-state actors and individuals to achieve the other 16 SDGs.

SDG1 and SDG2

Ending poverty in all its forms and achieving zero hunger are some of the key sustainable development goals that are intertwined primarily with agriculture and the natural environment. Achieving zero hunger and ending poverty in all its manifestations is made possible where people live in peace and harmony, where there is unity of purpose. This creates an enabling environment for people to organise themselves, work their land to feed themselves and sell surplus produce as well as research and develop.

Ending hunger, achieving food security, improved nutrition, food availability, accessibility and affordability are key and critical aspects of the food system.

The Second Republic has been seized with empowering people through socio-economic initiatives.

With the coming of the independence celebrations to Buhera, Government has been deliberate in responding to the vagaries of climate change.

The rolling out of water bodies, community nutritional gardens, the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme feeds into SDG13, which speaks to climate action to mitigate and adapt to causes and impacts of global warming and the attendant primary and secondary effects of climate change.

Affordable and clean energy and, water and sanitation

This seeks to ensure availability and sustainable management of the same, affordable, reliable and sustainable sources of energy.

The deployment of solar-powered community boreholes speaks to green transition to mitigate the impact of energy sources that are not environmentally friendly.

As water is being delivered to communities, under the Presidential borehole drilling scheme, targeting to deploy 35 000 boreholes across the length and breadth of the country, it is being powered by ecologically friendly energy.

Targeting to do 10 000 solarised boreholes that are at least one hectare in size, as a country, we will put 10 000 hectares of arable land under irrigation.

This will be a massive development, occasioned by a united and peaceful environment born out of a free and independent society.

 Access to quality health

For Buhera, the greatest story after the Murambinda-Birchenough Bridge Road, is the debate around the construction of a district referral hospital at the historic site, Dzapasi National Monument.

In the short-term, Dzapasi clinic is being birthed after serious lobbying on account of three critical factors, that Buhera does not have a district referral hospital, Dzapasi is the most central place in the district and that Dzapasi National Monument should be given the respect that it deserves given its role leading up to an independent Zimbabwe.

This development is a result of conversations around our history and independence. Accessing health care is a right that can only be provided adequately in an environment of unity, peace and stability.

 Access to quality education

Many schools were closed across the then Rhodesia at the peak of the war of liberation. Chiurwi Primary School, which is now part of the Dzapasi National monument, was closed in 1977 at the peak of the liberation war.

Thanks to independence, a secondary school was opened in 1984.

The Second Republic has been deliberate in promoting education for all and investing in new schools.

There is a proposal put forth to upgrade Chiurwi Secondary School to a modern boarding school and rename it Dzapasi Secondary School.

 SDG10 — Reduced inequalities

Independence sought to give the people of Zimbabwe a voice towards self-determination, and coming to Manicaland, Buhera in particular, and the attendant programmes activated by Government and the ruling Zanu PF, are a stark reminder that the Second Republic is serious in its intentions to actualise Vision 2030 predicated on the mantra “Leaving no one and no place behind”, and embracing everyone to participate in building their country.

Post-independence and more importantly in the Second Republic, the new quota system for women and youths in the House of Assembly and local Government, is a deliberate and well thought-out initiative to accelerate to empower societies.

SDG13 — Climate action

As an independent nation state, we are part of the family of nations, and we participate on global issues.

Climate change and climate action are global programmes. Government has introduced programmes meant to climate-proof citizens. The promotion of traditional grains is another main achievement. The private sector and institutions of higher learning have taken keen interest in research and development in that space.

 Thank you Mr President

Words alone are not adequate. If we had words of our own invention, we were going to thank you in a manner befitting of the unparalleled service that you have delivered to the people of Buhera.

For bringing, most importantly, the Independence Flame to Dzapasi Assembly Point, you met and intersected with the cry in the wilderness of the people of Buhera, who for far too long, given the role and contribution of Dzapasi Assembly Point, felt the place had been forgotten, even post its designation as a national monument in 2017. You are a doer par excellence, and history will always record that it was you, Mr President, who gave Dzapasi Assembly Point its deserved recognition.

Thanking you President once again for the major pronouncement you will make about Buhera so that it is not left behind together with its people in your developmental agenda.

Hon Sam Matema is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Buhera Central constituency