Let’s stop road carnage
Education
Government will ensure the achievements of the sector are maintained and broaden access by investing in the upgrading of infrastructure and additional new facilities.
Construction of 17 primary and secondary schools, funded through OFID is on-going at a cost of US$21 million and are expected to be complete by end of 2018.
Feasibility studies for 100 schools are underway, with resources being mobilised through joint ventures. Construction of innovation hubs at six state universities currently underway with the scope being broadened to cover other universities.
The Midlands State University’s innovation hub was commissioned in June 2018. Development of infrastructure at new state universities will also be prioritised.
Construction of accommodation, teaching and learning facilities will be implemented, complemented by private sector funding through joint ventures.
Housing
Provision of housing stands and the requisite social amenities will be prioritised to address the housing backlog. All outstanding institutional accommodation projects that had stalled due to the economic challenges of the past decade will also be completed.
Through the Infrastructure Development Bank, UDCORP and NSSA, Government will mobilise funding from the market towards the servicing of stands and construction of houses countrywide.
Some of the projects already underway include the following: IDBZSumbem (370 low density stands in Mt Pleasant Harare), Empumalanga West (2 135high density stands in Bulawayo), Kariba (1 560 high, medium and low density stands),
Clipsham II (600 medium and low density stands), Gwanda (1 000 high density stands), Chiredzi (1 800 mixed density stands), Nemamwa (222 medium density stands), Makonde (197 mixed density stands) and Dzivarasekwa phase 2 (737 high density stands).
Through ongoing land acquisitions, IDBZ plans to develop housing schemes and accommodation for students, academic and medical staff in towns such as Zvishavane, Marondera, Harare, Masvingo, Plumtree, Lupane, Bulawayo, Gwanda, Chegutu and Kadoma, among others. NSSADzivarasekwa (600 houses), Newmara (400 houses), Knochmallock (267 houses), Stoneridge (200 houses), Batanai Lot A (360 houses), Batanai Lot B (363 houses), Glaudina Apartments (288 flats), Glaudina Merwede (100 houses) and Hopeville (71 houses). UDCORP — Hatcliff (6 000 stands), Shirt, in Bulawayo (50 stands of 2 000m2 each), Caledonia (29 000 stands), Dunottar (10 000 stands), Glenview (Construction of 4 storey flats each with 8 apartments), Manresa (Development of 320 flats in Tafara), Chirundu, Umvutcha, Gimboki and Retreat.
The financial sector, particularly building societies are also implementing various housing development programmes through provision of housing stands in most urban settlements.
With regards to institutional accommodation, all projects that had stalled due to the economic challenges of the past decade will be completed, particularly the following: Courts — Chinhoyi, Gwanda and Marondera provincial magistrates’ courts, at a cost of US$23,1 million.
Composite offices — Lupane, Mutoko, Wedza, Siakobvu, Mhondoro and Mbire at a total cost of US$21.3 million. Institutional housing — Lupane Civil Servants houses, Zimbabwe Prisons staff houses, Dzivarasekwa houses, Immigration and Zimra staff houses as well as staff houses for Mahusekwa, Mpilo and Tsholotsho hospitals, at a cost of 12,2 million. New Parliament building — to be constructed through a grant from the People’s Republic of China at an estimated cost of US$145 million.
Construction of Lupane provincial hospital, Mbuya Maswa clinic in Zaka, Chiromo clinic in Gokwe and rehabilitation and upgrading works for the four central hospitals.
ICT
Digital technology has drastically changed our everyday life and business processes, providing opportunities for countries to leapfrog decades of underdevelopment and catch up with the rest of the world.
Government will invest in digital infrastructure that connects all major economic centres with fibre optic to improve access to key services and markets to citizens, whilst the E-Government programme will be expanded to cover other public services in order to bring more convenience to the public.
The Zimbabwe Digital Broadcasting Migration Project, under implementation at a cost of US$173 million, has so far received US$64 million which has allowed for the completion of two digital television studios and 18 transmitter sites among others.
The balance of US$109 million will target digitalisation of the remaining 30 transmission sites, 4 television studios, 11 radio studios, 6 content production facilities and 7 outside broadcasting vans among others. Consistent with Vision 2030, Government is intensifying efforts to bring internet connectivity to every household countrywide.
This will also facilitate development of community information centres across the country, with 250 centres already set up. To complement Government efforts, the IDBZ is involved in ICT through exploring the domain of fibre optic backbone and distribution infrastructure.
In addition, the Bank is exploring to finance the roll out of dedicated ICT infrastructure to facilitate interconnectivity among institutions of higher learning across the country. The Bank is scanning for investment opportunities in the roll-out of wireless broadband network across
Zimbabwe under PPPs. This programme is expected to deliver efficient communication systems at lower cost to the economy, consistent with the country’s development thrust.
Irrigation Development Vision 2030 recognises that limited irrigation infrastructure facilities increase vulnerability of agriculture to drought and, hence, compromise all other interventions such as financing and technical support.
To date, the country has 210 000 hectares of developed irrigation of which 175 000 hectares are operational. The existing Irrigation Master Plan targets support for the eventual rehabilitation and establishment of irrigation facilities to cover 2,5 million hectares.
The target is, therefore, to add 200 hectares per Administrative District per year over the Vision 2030 period of 12 years, and this requires forging partnerships with external partners.
This will boost production across the country’s vast arable and under-utilised tracts of land, drawing from several dams whose waters remain idle.
As a result, critical areas for investment are in irrigation and mechanisation equipment, fertiliser and other inputs production, among others.
Targeted irrigation schemes are: Nyanje Irrigation Scheme rehabilitation idle for over a decade in Gokwe, set to benefit over 1 000 farmers in Kana, Sessame, Manoti, Nkayi, Silobela and Zhombe, among others.
Nyakomba Irrigation Scheme with support from JICA, set to benefit 570 hectares in Nyanga.
The Zhove Irrigation Project with support of US$37 million from Kuwait Fund to benefit 2 600 households in Beitbridge at an average of 1ha per household. Smallholder Irrigation Support Programme with support of US$52 million from IFAD, OFID and Government to benefit 12 200 households in Manicaland, Midlands, Masvingo and Matabeleland South.
Tugwi Mukosi Irrigation scheme, which is still at feasibility study stage, targets 25 000 hectares in the Chivi and Masvingo districts at an estimated cost of US$150 million.
Muzwi Irrigation Scheme, targeting 800 hectares in Masvingo District is at feasibility study stage at an estimated cost of US$5 million. Osborne Irrigation Scheme, targeting 5 000 hectares in Mutasa District is at feasibility study stage at an estimated cost of US$70 million.
Biri Irrigation Scheme, targeting 2 000 hectares in Chegutu District is at feasibility study stage at an estimated cost of US$8 million. Lilstock Irrigation Scheme, targeting 2 000 hectares in Bindura District is at feasibility study stage at an estimated cost of US$12 million.
DDF small irrigation schemes, distributed across the country will be implemented at a cost of US$15 million. The African Development Bank will also be supporting data collection enhancement for effective water-related disaster management to the tune of €387 628. The Grant will finance procurement and construction of hydrological systems, weather stations, rainfall sensors, water pump and information technology equipment, as well as consulting services. MANY people have been involved in fatal road traffic accidents during this festive holiday.
The major reason has been human error and I think more effort should be made by everyone to tame the road carnage. It is my plea to your publication to increase awareness on how to drive on the roads.
Your newspaper has a role to play of discouraging reckless driving.
Currently, as stated during the festive season, 21 people are already dead and 38 injured in 102 road accidents that occurred. On Christmas Day I was shocked to see two drunkards racing in a high density suburb in Harare.
Road traffic accidents have claimed many people and it is time we act collectively to save lives.
Worried Passenger