Story by Tafara Chikumira, Midlands Bureau Chief
GOKWE, MIDLANDS PROVINCE –THE Government has officially commissioned the newly constructed North Pole Complex at Nembudziya Shopping Centre in Gokwe North District, as part of a broader development agenda that aims to attain town status for the area by 2026.
The state-of-the-art double-storey facility developed at a cost of US$1.5 million, comprises supermarkets, office spaces, and a modern service station, transforming the face of Nembudziya and bringing critical commercial services closer to the community.
The infrastructure was built by Honourable Spencer Tshuma, Director of the Spencer Family Trust, who said the investment is aligned with the Second Republic’s rural industrialisation drive under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s development vision.
“The President, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa, is on record saying ‘nyika inovakwa nevene vayo.’ I was born and raised here in Gokwe North and felt it was my duty to contribute towards uplifting my community. Yes, I could have taken this investment to a more urban area, but how will Gokwe develop if we shun our rural communities. With determination, we can transform our home areas and create thriving rural economies,” he said.
Local residents are already benefitting from the investment, with many employed at the facility. Several community members expressed gratitude, citing how the complex has provided both income and renewed hope for the future.
“I must say that life has never been the same since I got a job here. I now have hope of raising school fees and pursuing tertiary education,” an employee said.
“It feels good to be gainfully employed after years of searching. My family can now rely on me to meet our household needs,” another employee added.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Owen Ncube, hailed the private sector-led initiative as a beacon of local economic empowerment and growth.
“This enterprise is a reflection of His Excellency, President Mnangagwa’s commitment to private sector-led development underpinned by domestic resource mobilisation. Despite the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western nations, such initiatives are proof of the resilience and ingenuity of our people. The shopping complex will have a multiplier effect on our provincial economy creating jobs, promoting skills transfer, and stimulating upstream industrial growth,” he said.
The complex is viewed as a key milestone in the rural modernisation and transformation agenda, and contributes to Zimbabwe’s broader vision of achieving upper middle-income status by 2030.
