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Nduduzo Tshuma, Political Editor

THE move by the Government to make sure that the 15 000-hectare Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme finally kicks off after a number of false starts since its inception in 2004 has brought joy to the Binga community as it stands to create great benefit not only to the district but the entire province.

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga last Friday visited the project accompanied by Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri, Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi and Deputy Finance and Economic Development Minister Clemence Chiduwa and the Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo.

He revealed during the visit that six companies have applied to partner the Agricultural Rural Development Authority (Arda) in the project and the authority is in the process of adjudication before sending the shortlisted company to the Ministry of Agriculture who will relay the information to President Mnangagwa for final decision.

In the arrangement, Arda will represent the interest of the people while some land will also be set aside for local farmers to plant various crops.

Speaking during the visit, VP Chiwenga said the ministry of Agriculture has been directed to clear the 15 000 hectares and lay the pipes carrying water from Zambezi River to the scheme so that the project kicks off without delay.

For years, on visiting the project, one encountered a heartbreaking site of state-of-the-art equipment lying idle while centre pivots were hovering over shrubs, trees and pearl millet which is not an irrigated crop.

For a place that has been food insecure for many years, it was necessary and urgent that the Government steps in and puts everything in order. 

Part of the reasons the project has failed to take place over the years, according to the Matabeleland North Minister of Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Richard Moyo, are the squabbles pitting the locals over the leadership of the scheme.

Cde Moyo said the issue has been solved by bringing an investor to the project and consulting the local traditional leadership on the selection of the representative of the people.

The Minister also expressed joy at the move by the Government to make sure that the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme finally kicks off.  

“We are so happy that finally something is moving because Binga is a place that has always been vulnerable in terms of food security. If that irrigation is a success, it will transform the lives of Binga in terms of food security and income, the youths will get jobs and the district with transform tremendously,” said Minister Moyo.

“The 15 000 hectares will transform the whole of Matabeleland North.”

Minister Moyo said beyond the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme, the Government was working towards completing outstanding projects that have been hanging for many years.

“In the old dispensation, there was always talk of many projects that have been hanging for years but with no action. With the Second Republic efforts are being made to complete all this projects from the roads, the Gwayi-Shangani Dam there is serious movement after many years.

“Soon there will be action at the Batoka Gorge and the Unit 7 and 8 there is serious work being done. The new dispensation has tried all efforts that Matabeleland North projects that had been not moving for many years are now moving,” said Minister Moyo.

“We are now talking about the Matabeleland North provincial hospital, which has also been hanging for many years and now the new dispensation is building it. We are happy that the Government is serious about the development of the area.”

Speaking during the visit, VP Chiwenga said the Government wants all parts of the country to develop at the same pace and no one should be left behind.

“We want this project to work, there is a lot of water here in the Zambezi and we are letting it flow into the Indian Ocean which is full of water. We can’t let the water just flow and not use it then we say we are hungry,” said VP Chiwenga.

“We have experienced drought year after year or at times low rainfall and got poor yields, resulting in us having to buy maize to give to the people. For how long? This virus, Covid-19, when it ends, life will not be the same all over the world,” said VP Chiwenga.

“If it’s like that, where are we going to buy the food? We have the land, we redistributed it, everyone who was given land, we must come together and till that land and go back to our glory days when we sold our produce to the region.

“We can achieve this when we are united and have one goal.”

VP Chiwenga said the Ministries of Agriculture and Finance should make sure that the 15 000 hectares, or more if possible, is cleared so that various crops are planted in the scheme and Binga develops from the value chain.

“We don’t want any part of this country to be left behind when other areas are developing, all areas must be developed. What we want to do here is what we want to do along the Zambezi like in Kanyemba.

“After doing this, we want to eliminate the issue of buying food from outside as we will be self-sustaining and food secure and also be able to sell to others,” he said.

“This is what we are here for, we saw centre pivots lying around, pipes must be laid. We must clear the land so that when the investor comes, they don’t say ‘you gave us a bush and if it wasn’t for us there is nothing you would have done.’

“We want to give them cleared land like a soccer pitch, the pipes coming from Zambezi having already been laid and are pumping water.”