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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Manicaland Bureau
The Zimunya-Marange Community Share Ownership Trust has utilised $2,5 million of the seed capital received from the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company last year for developmental projects.

The projects are meant to ensure that ordinary people benefit from diamond proceeds.

ZCDC availed $5 million for the revitalisation of the trust, which has since identified areas of need within the communities and is working towards implementing various projects.

Marange-Zimunya Trust administrator Mr David Garwe recently said the trust had come up with a strategic plan being used as a guideline.

“When we received the money, the trust did not have a strategic plan and the Minister of State for Manicaland, Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba,  advised us to come up with one to avoid misuse of funds,” he said.

“We are planning to roll out the projects under three categories: infrastructure, social welfare and livelihoods projects. We have projects that have been completed, those that are still work in progress and those still being tendered. So far we have utilised $2 million and we have $500 000 worth of projects that went to tender recently.”

Mr Garwe said the funds were allocated to three constituencies — Mutare North, Mutare South and Mutare West — and will cover 36 wards that fall under the constituencies.

“In coming up with the projects to be implemented, we had constituency development committees working with councillors to identify areas of need within the communities under the three pillars,” he said.

The $5 million availed to the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust was meant to partly honour the pledge made by diamond mining companies back in 2012.

The companies had initially pledged $50 million towards the trust, but only released $500 000 as some of the firms refused to honour their pledge and feigned ignorance of the scheme.

Besides the $5 million for the trust, since commencing operations, ZCDC has undertaken several social investment projects in Marange, including upgrading clinics, road rehabilitation, construction of bridges and classroom blocks, as well as providing bursaries to orphans and disabled children.