Story by Gay Matambo
THE ruling ZANU PF party is walking the talk and fulfilling the promises it made to the electorate before the 2023 general elections through the rollout of income-generating and infrastructure development projects in rural parts of the country with the people of Mwenezi East being the latest to benefit.
Mwenezi East Legislator, Honourable Sheilla Chikomo availed funds for the construction of classroom blocks at John Best and Chiumburu satellite schools.
Community members believe the programmes will go a long way in improving the education sector in the previously marginalised community.
“Our children used to walk long distances to attend school, and during the rainy season, learning was impossible because they used tents. Now that permanent classrooms are being built, we are truly grateful,” a villager noted.
“These developmental efforts show that ZANU PF is genuinely concerned about the people’s welfare. Such projects are essential for our community’s growth,” another added.
In line with the ruling ZANU PF party’s empowerment drive, the legislator also managed to mobilise resources for income-generating projects, including poultry, piggery, and goat rearing, to enhance household incomes and improve rural livelihoods.
Such empowerment programmes dovetail with the Second Republic’s inclusive development policies that foster the transformation of rural communities.
“These efforts reflect the Second Republic’s inclusive development agenda, which prioritises the upliftment of marginalised communities. We are heeding President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call that a country is built by its own people, ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’. Mwenezi East is a resettlement area where children still walk long distances to school. We need to build ECD centres, refurbish dilapidated schools, and support community-driven projects. That is why we are disbursing funds across all party leagues, from the youth and women’s leagues to the war veterans, to kick-start livelihood-enhancing projects,” Honourable Chikomo noted.
As part of broader government efforts to address food insecurity, Honourable Chikomo also distributed food aid to villagers in Chiumburu and Bongo, under the national drought relief programme.
