Story by Providence Maraneli
GOVERNMENT’S rural industrialisation agenda under the Second Republic is gaining momentum, with a modern vending mart established at Mawabeni Business Centre in Umzingwane District, strengthening local enterprise development and economic activity.
The facility, spearheaded by a local investor, complements village business units along the Mtshabezi pipeline, which are anchoring community-based production and value chains in the district.
The vending mart is expected to enhance trade efficiencies, improve access to markets and stimulate inclusive growth within rural communities.
Residents have welcomed the development, citing its potential to transform livelihoods and reduce reliance on urban centres.
“We are appreciative of the development. Now we wake up in the morning, go to work at a good place,” a resident said.
“We are seeing a transformation in our area,” a villager said.
“We are happy with the structure because we will not travel to Bulawayo to get our things,” a community member said.
The structure, which will accommodate more than 50 small enterprises, is part of Umzingwane Rural District Council’s (RDC) rural industrialisation drive.
“We have done this structure, and we think we can accommodate 57 people; it is our small contribution to rural industrialisation,” local miner Mr Nation Moyo said.
“People were selling at open spaces, and it was difficult, but now with this development will help them because now when they leave their houses, they will be going to work, that is rural industrialisation,” Umzingwane RDC CEO Mrs Sithembiso Sibanda said.
The new vending mart is part of Umzingwane RDC’s commitment to the rural industrialisation agenda, which will, in turn, aid investments into logistics supportive of market linkages that connect farmers to both domestic and export markets.
