Use US$31m for development: ED President Mnangagwa

Nyore Madzianike Manicaland Bureau
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has challenged leaders in Manicaland to identify areas that need development and to distribute the US$31 million that has been allocated to the province under the devolution programme equitably as the nation works towards attaining middle income status by 2030.

Addressing people at Gandauta Secondary School in Marange after opening a computer and science laboratory block and witnessing the launch of the livestock revitalisation programme in Chiadzwa on Thursday last week, President Mnangagwa said the funds should be channelled towards infrastructural development.

The laboratory was constructed by the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) while the livestock revitalisation programme was being spearheaded by the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) and funded by the diamond mining company.

President Mnangagwa said all rural and urban authorities will benefit from the $310 million which was allocated for devolution in the 2019 National Budget.

“As Government and the Zanu-PF leadership we have great plans that each community be supported in terms of development,” he said.

“If we look in the National Budget that was presented last month, we followed the Constitution to have devolution of powers to rural areas and we allocated $310 million for devolution. We expect that each rural district, and even local leaders to look into the Blue Book to see how much was allocated to them. No rural district council or urban council or municipality was left out. Each of these were allocated funds from the budget for development,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said Government was expecting to see infrastructural development in rural areas and also challenged ZCDC to invest in corporate social responsibility.

He said ZCDC should help in construction of clinics in Chiadzwa and also tar the roads in the area.

President Mnangagwa thanked the diamond mining company for the various projects that it has undertaken in the area including the construction of a combined computer and science laboratory at Gandauta Secondary School.

“We know there is the Community Trust which will also play its part. As community leaders, we expect them to sit down with the committee members and identify areas that need development. Here in Manicaland we allocated US$31 million towards development. We are looking forward to have clinics, boreholes, roads and schools that will provide the best education using modern technology. We will continue supporting the programmes as Government,” he said.

“With this devolution we will start witnessing some changes in remote areas as we want to change our lives through devolution,” he said.

Manicaland Provincial Minister Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba expressed confidence that ZCDC’s endeavour to increase its production would contribute to the improvement of people’s lives in Manicaland.

“In line with the devolution thrust, Your Excellency, I am sure that as diamond production increases the lives of people of Manicaland will improve as the provincial economy turns around. Increased diamond production will no doubt have a positive impact on the social responsibility programmes being embarked on by ZCDC on agriculture, health, infrastructural development, education and sport and recreation,” she said.

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