Getting Manicaland’s glitter to shine

GOVERNMENT this week said the European Union’s withdrawal of financial support to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) will not strain Zimbabwe-EU relations.

It said ZEC, the body in charge of electoral processes, is funded by the State and other funding partners. The EU announced on Tuesday that it had withdrawn its three-year financial support to ZEC, worth US$5 million, ostensibly because of irregularities in the August harmonised elections.

President Mnangagwa was re-elected while the ruling Zanu PF party won a majority of Parliamentary, Senate and local councils countrywide.

In a statement, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere said although the EU has suspended financial support to ZEC, the country will continue to foster cordial relations with all the countries in the global village. He said Government has been consistent in providing ZEC with the required funding for elections. In a statement on Tuesday, the EU said it was withdrawing funding from ZEC, citing alleged lack of transparency and independence of the electoral body. It said it took the decision based on an adverse report on the August 23 elections by its election observers, and a few other groups, mainly Western, that observed the polls.

On its part, ZEC said it was grateful for all funding support it received from the EU and recognises that funding partners are at liberty to interact with it within the confines of the Electoral Act and the laws of Zimbabwe as they deem fit. In the 2023 election, for activities which included voter education, voter registration, voter inspection and polling itself, the Government of Zimbabwe availed millions of dollars against the ZIM-ECO Project support of US$5 million which was projected to cover the tenure of the Project (2022-2024).—

THE appointments of Cabinet Ministers, their deputies as well as Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution set in motion the wheels of Government business in the drive to achieve Vision 2030.

Anchoring on National Development Strategy (NDS1), Zimbabwe is moving to achieve an empowered and prosperous upper-middle income economy by the Year 2030.

The country’s development agenda has already taken off and is flying high, with high impact projects for economic development and social transformation being implemented by Government.

With such a robust foundation in place, brick by brick and stone upon stone, the Second Republic is continuing to build the Zimbabwe that is desired by everyone.

Manicaland Province is a major player in national development.

From Makoni to Chimanamani, Chipinge to Nyanga and Mutasa to Buhera, the province has got it all. From farming to mining and tourism to manufacturing, Manicaland can accelerate its development hinging on all these economic sectors. The province is endowed with mineral resources like the diamonds in Chiadzwa, lithium in Buhera, Mutare and Nyanga, as well as phosphate in Buhera.

All these can be exploited to develop Manicaland and beyond. The establishment of a gemmology centre in the Fernhill Special Economic Zone just outside Mutare near Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences has to be expedited as construction work of the first phase is shaping up well. At its completion, the gemmology centre is expected to drive the diamond cutting and polishing value chain in Manicaland Province and the country at large. This will increase beneficiation of the mineral. Capacitation of industries across the province so that they can operate at their optimal potential must also be a top priority.

Consequently, this will create employment for locals and spur production for domestic consumption as well as surplus for exports.

The modernisation of Forbes Border Post and the construction of a new dry part is also central in driving Manicaland’s development as this will enhance the efficient and effective clearing of cargo. The projects will facilitate the creation of a transit economy for the entire country.

With Christmas Pass creating major headaches owing to the regular occurrence of road traffic accidents involving haulage trucks, the by-pass road has become long overdue. Establishing the Christmas Pass by-pass road will go a long way in preserving human lives.

These transformative projects are key to the development of Manicaland. To get them done, all stakeholders need to have unity of purpose.

Newly appointed Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Misheck Mugadza, this week spoke on the need for Government ministries, departments and agencies to pull in the same direction, with their unity of purpose sustaining Manicaland’s growth.

Minister Mugadza, a hardworking and proactive servant of the people who is Mutasa South legislator, now has a bigger responsibility of superintending Manicaland’s development and ensuring that no one and no place is left behind. As the jewel in the eastern parts of Zimbabwe, Manicaland has what it takes to shine and stand tall as one of the country’s economic hubs.