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Auxilia Katongomara and Thandeka Moyo Chronicle Reporters
ACTING President Phelekezela Mphoko yesterday unveiled a $10 million electrification project for the Bulawayo West region which will benefit more than 70,000 people.

The project, which is being carried out in phases, is expected to be complete within the next three years. The Bulawayo West electrification project covers houses in Pumula South, Emthunzini, Pelandaba West, Hlalo and Mbundane.

A substation, Cowdray Park 88/11 kV substation, which will serve these areas, is already under construction. The substation project will cost $5.2 million.

Cde Mphoko, who was guest of honour at the launch of the Emganwini-Mbundane electrification project, commissioned the electrification of 700 houses yesterday.

“Ladies and gentlemen we’re witnessing today the launch of the Bulawayo West Electrification Project. This covers the electrification of some suburbs in Bulawayo West benefiting over 70,000 households.

The project, which is being carried out in phases over the next three years, will cost a total of $10 million. The construction of the $5.2 million Cowdray Park 88/11Kv substation to serve these areas is already in progress,” he said.

The Acting President said the Bulawayo West project would benefit 7,000 households in Cowdray Park under the Roman and Hawkflight areas, 300 households in Pumula South, 920 families in Emthunzini, 4,400 households in Pelandaba West and 600 stands in Hlalo suburb.

Cde Mphoko said 100,000 households have no access to electricity. He said the government was making frantic efforts to make electricity accessible to both urban and rural communities.

The Acting President said although it was primarily the government’s duty to provide electricity to its people, local indigenous companies had a part to play as well.

“I’m informed that more than 100,000 households in urban areas nationwide have no access to electricity as there’s no backbone infrastructure in their areas. I therefore urge local indigenous companies to take part in these electrification projects,” he said.

Cde Mphoko told Mbundane residents, who have been staying in the dark for the past 14 years, that all credit should go to President Robert Mugabe as he instructed Zesa Holdings to install electricity in the area.

He said the electrification projects being carried out by the Ministry of Energy and Power Development are in line with ZimAsset.

“The government of Zimbabwe values the natural resources that our country is endowed with. Our country has vast reserves of coal and gas. Our hydro power potential isn’t fully exploited.

The infrastructure and utilities cluster has to continue to work together to ensure that these resources are available to the nation,” the Acting President said.

Cde Mphoko warned residents against vandalism of electrical cables and urged them to use electricity sparingly.

“While government is committed to making investments in the development of energy infrastructure within the public sector, it’s expected that these facilities would be well managed to benefit you, the users.

“A lot of electricity infrastructure has been destroyed through vandalism, interrupting business and plunging neighbourhoods into darkness for long periods. It’s our duty as beneficiaries of these facilities to prevent vandalism of the infrastructure,” said Cde Mphoko.

The launch was attended by Energy and Power Development Minister, Samuel Undenge, Secretary for Energy and Power Development, Partson Mbiriri, Zesa Holdings board chairman, Herbert Murerwa, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Obert Mpofu, Politburo member Cde Joshua Malinga, Absalom Sikhosana, former Matabeleland South governor Angeline Masuku, Bulawayo mayor Martin Moyo as well as high ranking officials from Zera and ZETDC.

Meanwhile, the Acting President will be spearheading programmes meant to revive Bulawayo’s industry together with aspiring Zanu-PF members of parliament from the province.

Among the politicians is Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube who is eyeing the Makokoba constituency in the forthcoming by-elections to be held on June 10.

Launching his campaigns during an inter-district executive meeting, Rtd Col Tshinga said Zanu-PF supporters had to learn from their mistakes and win all the seats in the by-elections.

“Acting President Mphoko has agreed to help in spearheading the revival of Bulawayo as this remains the greatest challenge in the province. We are changing strategies this time and we will try and gain the support of non-Zanu-PF members in Bulawayo,” he said.

Rtd Col Dube said they would start with five projects to be run within Makokoba constituency.

“Our main focus will be to revive the industry, create employment opportunities for our disgruntled youths and resuscitate our dead social structures in Bulawayo. Our children and old people homes are now closed and even the once vibrant Jairos Jiri Association is now mal-functional because of economic challenges. I believe we can all take Bulawayo back to its position and create the needed jobs.”

Rtd Col Dube said the first project that would be implemented courtesy of Cde Mphoko, was a home industry to be built in Makokoba for unemployed skilled men.

Bulawayo was once Zimbabwe’s industrial hub and boasted a number of large manufacturing and engineering companies.

These included the Treger Group, Zimbabwe Engineering Company, Hubert Davies, Merlin Textiles, Stewarts & Lloyds, Build Elect, Dunlop, Hunyani Holdings and G&D Shoes.

Over the past 10 years, many of these have closed leaving more than 20, 000 people jobless.