Story by Gay Matambo
A community empowerment programme is transforming lives in Mwenezi East, confirming the essential role of the citizenry in the national development agenda.
Close to 500 households in Muzhwi area, Mwenezi East are the latest to benefit from the empowerment programme which has seen the roll-out of income-generating projects which include poultry, cattle fattening and aquaculture.
Spearheaded by Mwenezi East legislator, Honourable Sheilla Chikomo, the community development initiative has also become a shining beacon for improving the well-being of previously marginalised communities in the area.
“We would like to thank President Emmerson Mnangagwa and our legislator for the empowerment programme. We were very behind in terms of development but now we can see that the future is bright,” a community member said.
“We could not afford to fend for our families but through the income-generating projects, our children are going to school and we are very grateful,” another community member said.
Honourable Chikomo says the programme is in line with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s inclusive development mantra.
“We are happy that there is a lot of development taking place in our area. I established this programme to empower the people that voted for me. The empowerment programme is being implemented in all wards and it is league-based. Each league in the ZANU PF party in Mwenezi East has its projects.
“Today we have brought funds to start fish farming projects, poultry and cattle fattening. We are also distributing foodstuffs since Mwenezi was hit hard by the El-Nino-induced drought. Although this year we were blessed with the rains, the crops are not yet ready, hence we are cushioning the communities with a few groceries. Through this empowerment initiative, I hope to see these communities being self-reliant in the future.”
The empowerment programme is in line with the government’s Rural Development 8.0 Initiative, which seeks to raise community incomes, ensure food security at the household level and propel rural industrialisation.
