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Fungi Kwaramba in Chimanimani

Despite the continued existence of illegal sanctions, the Second Republic is forging ahead with infrastructural development programmes that include road and dam construction using local resources.

Speaking after touring road rehabilitation and bridge construction projects carried out by local companies here, an area that two years ago was adversely affected by Cyclone Idai, the President said his the Government would ensure that in the next few years, major roads will be surfaced, dams constructed to climate proof agriculture and construct state-of-the-art hospitals that will benefit everyone.

After touring roads that have been opened up, as well as passageways in the mountainous region, the President marvelled at the architectural brilliance of local companies such as Masimba and Bitumen, which heeded Government’s call to get involved when Cyclone Idai left a trail of destruction in Chipinge and Chimanimani.

“We are back here after the disaster in Chimanimani and Chipinge when Cyclone Idai struck. We lost our loved ones, some were buried, some we don’t even know where they are while some bodies were found and buried in Mozambique. We now have the number of people who died and also another number we can’t account for and we are saying those who are still missing are presumed dead. We know every place has its customs and traditions. I would like to salute the chiefs here for the rites they carried in unison. This shows the unity of the people here.

“We thank them for that, after the disaster, our army and Air Force came and opened up areas where people had been marooned. We thank them for the job they did, carrying food to people who had been isolated. We came and saw what happened and we appealed to the people of Zimbabwe. We thank them for responding to our calls for help. For us to be here today, if we don’t thank churches and companies, it will be amiss

“As the Government, we said let us rebuild schools that were lost, (and) some have been rebuilt. We have homesteads that were swept away and we are now making sure that they find somewhere to stay. We passed through Westend where we are building houses, and we are going to build more homes. You can see what the mountains look like. We don’t want you to go to such dangerous places. We are going to build houses, and we are also going to provide irrigation facilities. Do coexist with people who are already in those places where you will be resettled.

“We are all Zimbabweans, so let’s embrace one another and unite. I would like to thank the companies here. We now have strong infrastructure and roads that were swept away being rehabilitated, (and) we want all the roads to be tarred so that they will not be swept away if similar disasters come.

“We said we want to see our own companies building the infrastructure. All the things that we are doing in the country now, we are doing it on our own. We can do better than foreign companies. We have the engineers who are competent. If you look at the roads that are being built here, they are excellent. We were being charged astronomical prices by foreign companies but now our locals are doing the job better. And they are also employing locally,” the President said.

Local construction companies that have been carrying out operations in Chimanimani and Chipinge have created jobs for over thousand local people, equipping them with life changing skills in a corporate-community programme that is reflected countrywide.

“We have a programme for infrastructure development, we want to make sure in five years’ time we are going to have smooth roads across the country. Through unity, we can achieve this.

“We have some rotten apples who think of violence. Those who disagree with Zanu PF are allowed to do so peacefully and campaign their ideas peacefully. However, it is Zanu PF, which sacrificed with blood to liberate Zimbabwe. Some parties mushroom but they will not get anywhere. Development will come from our hands and not through anyone else,” he said.

With the rain season almost setting in, the President said his Government has put in place measures to support irrigation for large scale farmers as well as equipping communal farmers with the Pfumvudza farming concept so as to ensure that everyone is food sufficient and that the country won’t import maize.

“The rains are coming and we want to make sure that Zimbabwe will never be food insecure, we have a plan to ensure that whether it rains or not, we will have enough food.

“We are building dams on our own and we are not borrowing money from anyone. “Each province has roads that are being rehabilitated. We recently secured combine harvesters and tractors and we have identified the hectarage that will be under irrigation under Smart Agriculture.

“We have a programme for those with draught power and we are going to give you seed for free under the Presidential Inputs Scheme and those without we are giving Pfumvudza where 1.8 million households will benefit. Under this concept, one portion should be for household consumption while the other will be delivered to the Grain Marketing Board”.

Under the hugely popular Pfumvudza farming concept, each of the 1.8 million targeted households will have enough food to last to the next season.

Families in Chimanimani and Chipinge, areas suitable for horticulture, would also benefit from the President Horticulture Input Scheme as the Second Republic walks the talk on ensuring that no one is left behind in development, irrespective of geographical location.

“We also have the Presidential Horticulture Scheme. We are going to support you in whatever you do, every family should be food secure,” the President said.

The President, who was accompanied by his deputies, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and Vice President Kembo Mohadi, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Local Government Cde July Moyo, Minister of Housing Cde Garwe and Minister of Social Welfare Prof Larry Mavhima, told the gathering at Skyline that Government will also provide them with food stuff to cushion them from hunger after the Cyclone destroyed lives and livelihoods.

Turning to attempts by some unions to politicise grievances that are faced by teachers and nurses, the President said his Government will not allow the politicisation of the civil servants as it is committed to address their concerns within reasonable grounds.

“We have around 7000 people who were affected by Covid-19. We don’t have serious cases.  We then had nurses and doctors who went on strike so they are speaking with VaChiwenga. Grievances will always be there but they can be solved through talks. We also hear that there are teachers who are not going to school but we are saying let’s talk and have reasonable demands.

“Those who want to be difficult we are also going to be difficult. We are not going to allow dissent; let’s sit down and talk. We will solve what we can as we go on, we will resolve the problems facing us. For the country to develop, we want unity, we want peace. The problems we have, let’s give them to the Government and where we can we will assist and where we can’t we will tell you so that we move forward. “We want to make sure that children go to school. It is absolutely necessary that when you are working you are remunerated well but hatidi mesvamukono,” he said.

Magnanimous in victory, President Mnangangwa availed the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) platform for all parties to share and exchange ideas. However, the sanctions championing and violent mongering MDC Alliance spurned the offer as it sought, with the aid of foreign powers, to effect illegal regime change.

Zanu PF with the support of the majority of Zimbabweans, has come unstuck and through its efforts without borrowing from international lenders. Zimbabwe is reviving its economy and has so far created much needed jobs towards President Mnangangwa Vision 2030 to become a middle class economy.

President Mnangagwa urged Zimbabweans to continue voting Zanu PF to safeguard the country’s independence, sovereignty and economic gains.