Story by Tafara Chikumira
THE Second Republic’s rural electrification programme is transforming lives with the people of Zhombe being the latest to benefit.
The electrification of Senkwasi Clinic, which serves around 4 000 people, is expected to improve efficiency at the health facility.
The clinic’s Sister in Charge, Sister Kudzai Mutambara said, “We are located in a bushy area, now that we are lit, we expect our services to improve. We conduct deliveries at the clinic during the night which require a constant supply of power. Of course, we have had solar systems, but it was not effective at times, so, this project is going to improve efficiency in our service delivery even at night. Expecting mothers could not give birth at this facility any more, as they would rather go to some clinics like Donjani and Zhombe Mission. We hope some stakeholders will also assist us with sinking a borehole, so that will have it nearer to this facility.”
A community member said, “Our clinic had problems for years. It affected those who were in maternity. They used to bring candles along for deliveries and it was a bad situation. At times, the solar system was affected by cloudy weather. There are also drugs and medications which require refrigeration. So if someone got sick at night, there were no services rendered. Now that electricity has been installed, we are happy.”
“I want to thank President Mnangagwa for this initiative being spearheaded by REA, today, we are a happy community. Expecting mothers used to give birth under makeshift lights, now it’s going to be a thing of the past. This project is good,” noted Chief Wait Ndabezihle Gwesela.
The Rural Electrification Fund (REA) has vowed to continue with the programme, which is oiling the industrialisation agenda.
“We electrified the clinic’s administration block, a waiting shelter for the mothers, and two staff quotas at Senkwasi Clinic in the Zhombe area. As far as REA is concerned, we need to cover all the areas near the grid, by 2030, they should be electrified. But we also have those areas off-grid, we are planning to cover them with a micro solar grid. We also have some households that we tend to cover, with our solar home system.
“We are distributing questionnaires to get inputs from the public, as to what house systems we can design to cover 100 percent of the total populace of Zimbabwe. We also have biogas projects which we are putting up, especially for high schools so that we reduce our total bills for heating,” said REA’s Midlands province manager, Engineer Silbah Chido Zvimwara
Government is focusing on previously marginalised areas in line with its people-centred approach of inclusive development.
“Quality, accessible and affordable services remain the goal of the Second Republic, cutting across all sectors that include education, health, social security, and empowerment initiatives. Accordingly, through REA, the government has intensified power connectivity to communal areas in addition to harnessing clean and renewable energy technologies such as institutional and domestic biogas digesters, wind and solar mini-grids in pursuit of rural industrialisation and modernisation,” said Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Affairs, Honourable Owen Ncube.
The Second Republic’s rural electrification programme is part of the government’s deliberate efforts to modernise and industrialise rural communities to ensure every citizen plays a part in the country’s development agenda.
