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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT has granted Binga rights to access water from Lake Gwayi-Shangani with two places having been identified for irrigation purposes while tremendous progress has been made in the implementation of major developmental projects in the district.

In March, Cabinet greenlighted the implementation of key development projects in Binga District, which include the rehabilitation of roads, construction of a vocational training centre and setting up of a nursing school as well as the refurbishment and operationalisation of the mortuary at Binga Hospital.

Government also recently completed the rehabilitation of the Binga Airstrip.

Other initiatives include increasing access to Zimbabwe Television and ZBC radio stations; and fast tracking the capacitation of Tonga Community Stations which have already been licensed.

This followed President Mnangagwa’s announcement at Siabuwa Business Centre in Binga, during a star rally ahead of the recent by-elections that the Government under the Second Republic committed itself to developing Binga, which for years has been lagging behind in terms of development.

The President also acceded to an appeal for Local Board status to Binga Rural District Council and ordered Local Government and Public Works Minister, Cde July Moyo to facilitate the upgrade.

During a post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Dr Jenfan Muswere said tremendous progress has been made in terms of the development initiatives for Binga District.

“The nation is informed that a lot of progress has been made on a number of initiatives to transform the lives of communities in Binga, in line with the Government’s mantra of leaving no-one and no place behind.

The developments include the completion of the Kalonga road, the 7 km Binga-Sengwa detour road and drilling of boreholes,” said Dr Muswere.

“Binga has been granted access rights to Lake Gwayi-Shangani water, with two places having been identified for irrigation.”

Lake Gwayi-Shangani is one of the major projects meant to uplift people’s livelihoods.

The project is the vital component of the National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project which was initiated in 1912, but is coming to reality with the water body set to be finished this year, after the Second Republic poured resources into the project.

The project is viewed as the solution to perennial water problems in Bulawayo and the pipeline will also create a green belt from Matabeleland North Province.

In Binga District, Government is already working on remodelling the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme, a massive irrigation project in the district.

A total of 250 hectares were cleared at Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme and already tilled at the scheme which is set to be 15 000ha once the whole fenced area is cleared.

Government put Arda in charge of Bulawayo Kraal, taking over from the Department of Irrigation which had been managing the project over years.

Dr Muswere said land has been secured for a Vocational Training Centre while designs for the school of nursing are being developed.

“Tel-One is on the ground connecting Binga to promote e-learning, with preference being given to those schools with existing infrastructure, that is, power and computers.

Transformers have been installed to date at Manjolo, while the Rural Electrification Agency is working on the electrification of schools in the area.” he said.

“Designs for the school of nursing are being developed while tendering processes for mortuary cold rooms and expecting mothers’ shelters are under way.”

Dr Muswere said the temporary border post is now operational while construction of 17 flood victim houses is under way.

After 181 families at Nsungwale Village under Chief Sinakoma were displaced by floods in February 2020, Government resolved to relocate them to safer places and has started constructing houses for them.

Each family will have four-roomed houses, a major improvement from their pole and dagga huts.

Dr Muswere said the remainder of the houses will be constructed by the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities.

In line with President Mnangagwa’s directive, Dr Muswere said six teams from the Registrar General’s Office are in Binga district for mobile registration.

The President recently directed Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Cde Kazembe Kazembe to deploy officers to each of the Binga chiefs’ areas to register scores of youths who do not have national identity documents.

The Second Republic interventions under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa, have, in line with the National Development Strategy 1(NDS1), continued to be centred on scaling up the implementation of key projects with priority being on completing the ones, which had stalled for years.

Since coming to power in 2017, President Mnangagwa has been at the forefront in terms of driving economic growth and development in Matabeleland. – @mashnets.