Story by Kenias Chivuzhe
THE massive national development and empowerment strides being realised countrywide have become the rallying point for more support towards the extension of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership to go beyond 2028.
ZANU PF Central Committee Member Dr Jenfan Muswere, who is also the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, attended a Presidential Constituency Empowerment Fund rally in Rusape where he outlined some of the successes recorded under the Second Republic in Manicaland, clarifying that there is nothing unconstitutional in amending the national constitution to extend President Mnangagwa’s term of office.
“The irrigation schemes established here are many and dams constructed are also many, including Muchekeranwa dam and Marovanyati dam. The irrigation schemes include Romsley, Tikwiri as well as developments in other areas that include Chipinge and Mutasa. These are great works by President Mnangagwa that have led to calls for extension of his term in office. This is the reason for all the people in the country, including here in Makoni have called for the extension of President Mnangagwa’s term of office. I want to say there is nothing unconstitutional about amending a constitution. The constitution was written by people and it is amended by the people. Today’s gathering also seeks to advance the empowerment drive,” he said.
Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, said Makoni District had benefited from targeted infrastructure investment.
“We are happy with progress being spearheaded by President Mnangagwa here in Manicaland. In Makoni, at Timber Mills, there are state of the art GMB silos. We have irrigation schemes in Makoni, including Nzvimbe, Dzvairo and Romsley. Road rehabilitation programmes are continuing with the Nyabadza-Odzi road being tarred,” he said.
ZANU PF Manicaland Provincial Chairperson, Cde Tawanda Mukodza, emphasised unity and accountability in the utilisation of empowerment funds.
“I want to urge people to remain united to fully benefit from the empowerment drive. Meanwhile, disbursement of the Presidential Constituency Empowerment Fund has breathed new life in the implementation of empowerment programmes, with legislators and local leadership in Mutasa and Makoni, expressing confidence. The funds will contribute towards accelerated development,” he said.
Mutasa Central legislator Honourable Innocent Benza described the fund as a catalyst for accelerating constituency-based development initiatives.
“We want to thank President Mnangagwa. As legislators. We have a lot of development projects we are promoting and the empowerment fund we received. Today is an oil that will contribute towards accelerated development.”
Traditional leader Senator Chief James Mutasa said empowerment programmes were opening opportunities for communities at the grassroots level.
“We are happy with the empowerment projects being spearheaded by President Mnangagwa. They are opening up opportunities to many people,” he said.
Headlands legislator Honourable Farai Mapfumo said decentralised empowerment aligned with broader sustainable development objectives, particularly in health, education and rural infrastructure.
“It is a great pleasure to see empowerment projects by the second republic trickling down to the grassroots. We applaud the empowerment of grassroots as this will go a long way in achieving sustainable development goals mainly on health, education and road infrastructure. We will put the money to good use so that we emancipate our people and promote rural industrialisation,” Honourable Mapfumo added.
“The US$25 000 empowerment fund and the promised to drill 100 boreholes for Makoni central will go a long way in uplifting the lives of the people. The funds will be directed towards the grassroots. There are a lot of empowerment programmes that are unfinished that are going to be funded. We are going to scale up empowerment initiatives in the constituency”, ZANU PF member, Shephard Nyika stated.
Presidential business development adviser Dr Paul Tungwarara said government had instituted safeguards to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of empowerment funds.
“President Mnangagwa has done outstanding works in promoting development. These initiatives to cascade empowerment to the grassroots are a brain child of President Mnangagwa. There will not be sacred cows when follow up is being made to assess the impact of the empowerment fund.
‘President Mnangagwa directed us that the empowerment drive should start from the grassroots going up contrary to the tradition where it used to start from the top. From 2026, the empowerment programmes will start from the villages going up. There is a task force that includes members of the OPC that will assess the utilisation of the funds. We will monitor how these funds have been utilized,” Dr Tungwarara said.
In a notable political development, former Citizens Coalition for Change legislator Pishai Muchauraya(CCC), alongside serving and former opposition councillors from Makoni, announced their defection to ZANU PF during the rally.
Meanwhile, the ruling party has commenced construction of new district offices in Mutasa, with similar plans underway in Makoni District.
