Story by Mhlomuli Ncube
THE Deka pipeline and waterworks upgrade in Hwange has been officially commissioned, amid consensus that the development is taking the nation many steps towards the attainment of Vision 2030.
The commissioning of the project this Monday was met with celebrations on the inclusivity of the government’s development agenda by the locals.
“We see progress in the right direction. We are pleased that water is not only going to the power station but also coming to us for drinking, irrigation and other uses. We love this development,” said traditional leader, Chief Hwange.
In its economic growth targets, the Second Republic has underscored the need for investment which benefits the majority of Zimbabwean citizens.
The ribbon-cutting moment was according to the script as the Zimbabwean government’s partner, the Indian government alluded to the great South-to-South cooperation.
Outgoing Indian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Vijay Khanduja said, “This is a people-centred project and in my 10 years of service it brought me joy to see it completed.”
“We are looking at even more important projects between Zimbabwe and India, we are talking about projects that benefit our citizens,” said the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’s secretary, Mr Puneet. R Kundall.
The government says under the vision to attain an upper-middle-income society status by 2030, no project is deemed complete until it benefits citizens.
“We are clear about projects of this magnitude. Deka upgrading contributes and feeds directly to the government’s thrust of the attainment of Vision 2030. It directly impacts power generation in the nation,” said the Minister of Energy and Power Development, Honourable Edgar Moyo.
Funded by the Indian government through the India Eximbank, the Deka waterworks upgrade is an important project meant to supply water to Hwange Unit 7 and 8 power stations, while also enabling water provision in the local community.
As the Second Republic continues making Vision 2030 a reality, the benefits are cascading down to all communities nationwide.
