FOTE 2021 Walkathon on today!
The Friends of the Environment’s 2021 Edition of the 500 Million Tree Walkathon scheduled for Harare- Chivhu, roars into life today, with the entourage expecting to cover a distance of 60km.
The route which spans over three districts, Harare, Seke and Chikomba, covering a total distance of 142 km by the time it gets to the final destination will have the privilege of passing through the country’s historical sites. The Marondera –Macheke walk which happened on Monday the 29th, set a high pace to the annual event as it was graced by traditional leaders Chief Svove and Chief Mangwende representing the custodians of the land, whilst the Chegutu one held yesterday the 30th, was also an exciting spectacle as stakeholders from all over joined in the fun for a good cause.
The walkathon today will kick-off from Joina City, the country’s third tallest building in Zimbabwe standing at 105 metres, behind the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (120m) and NRZ Headquarters (110m). It is owned by Masawara Investments which also owns Sable Chemicals the anchor sponsor for the 2021 Walkathon. The building has the single largest lift and escalator installation in Zimbabwe. Construction of the building started in 1998 but was halted due economic crisis that was plaguing the country, then resumed and completed in 2010.
Joina City boasts unparalleled and spectacular views of the city which never sleeps; Harare. This makes it the preferred choice for progressive companies seeking refreshing and inspiring office space. Nestled at the focal point of the Central Business District of Harare and situated right next to the main post office, it is a viable facility for anyone who wishes to rent space as customers will be coming from different areas of Zimbabwe.
As a building with a welcoming and warm environment which is coupled with shops that are there to satisfy each and every need of the customer, the Joina City mall attracts more than 950 000 people every month.
After the formal send-off proceedings at Joina City, walkathon marchers will proceed to Nyaradzo Simon Mazorodze in the Houghton park area to continue with the walking. The walkers will have their breakfast at the Skyline Motel grounds some 20 kilometres outside of town. Skyline Motel is known for hosting the late Jamaican superstar Bob Marley on the eve of Zimbabwe’s independence in April, 1980.During the historical show held at Rufaro Stadium in Mbare, he churned out songs from his Survival album which included War/No More Trouble, Chant Down Babylon, A Blackman Redemption, Get Up, Stand Up (for your rights), and, of course, Zimbabwe. Marley is understood to have spent the night before the show with the guerillas at Skyline Motel. During his visit to Zimbabwe, the musician spent time with the locals, choosing to stay at the Skyline Motel which was frequented mostly by the Black working class looking for a good time. FOTE will plant about 120 trees at the Skyline grounds to try and restore the ecosystem of this historical area and gradually bring back the once attractive scenery.
Today’s lap of the walkathon will finish off for the day at Beatrice, is a farming community located about 54 km the main Harare–Masvingo road where it crosses the Mupfure River. The village was named after the Beatrice gold mine, around which it grew. The Beatrice Gold Belt lies astride the Mupfure River, a tributary of the Sanyati River, Zambezi Basin. The mine was in operation from 1895 to 1945 and interestingly, was named after Beatrice Borrow, the sister of Lieutenant Henry J. Borrow, a member of the Pioneer Column. The original Beatrice Mine was pegged by Frank Johnson & Company, Henry J. Borrow being a partner of the firm. It was extremely lucrative, with a gold vein over a metre wide that yielded over 150 g of gold per tonne when operations began in 1895. The belt has been mined for gold since 1900, but was abandoned towards the year 2000. There were four mines in the belt: Beatrice, Joyce, Argyle and Roma. They are all closed, and rehabilitation has only taken place at Beatrice mine. Gold is still mined at the Joyce Mine nearby.
The European settlers also established Beatrice Farm, a large ranch that may have been populated with cattle which they had looted from the Ndebele. The Mupfure River provides water for commercial agriculture in the local farming areas and smallholder farming in Mhondoro Communal Lands, as well as other users downstream in Chegutu and Kadoma Districts. Mixed farming and dairy farming take place in the surrounding area.