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The First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe holds the famous ndombonda tobacco pipe at a meeting where she met the Binga community during her visit to the Bulawayo Kraal irrigation project in this file photo.

Victoria Falls Reporter
WORK has finally started at the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme in Binga where 100 hectares have already been cleared in preparation for the planting season. The project is viewed as the panacea to drought in the province and the nation at large. It has been failing to take off due to funding challenges since 2004 when it was initiated.

The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Matabeleland North, Cde Cain Mathema, told The Chronicle the development shows government’s commitment to ensuring food security by capacitating irrigation schemes in the province.

He said the Binga project would result in an economic boom in the region.

High powered delegations led by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko and First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe visited Bulawayo Kraal recently to show the government’s commitment to implement the project that has been failing to kick off for more than a decade.

Cde Mugabe on her visit took over supervision of the project and immediately vowed to transform its dream into reality. She said the people of Binga had been lied to for a long time and now needed sustainable development as she announced that she would ensure that the multi-million dollar project is operationalised this year.

Cde Mathema said “things” were “moving”.

He said the other schemes in the province in Bubi, Redwood, Mlibizi, and Nkayi had also received their share of tractors and other equipment from the implements commissioned by President Mugabe recently and were ready to get on the ground to improve food security.

“Things are going well at all the irrigation schemes and we’ll be commissioning some of them. At Bulawayo Kraal we’ve already cleared 100 hectares in preparation for the planting season,” he said.

The irrigation will cover 15,000 hectares of land, with 250 hectares earmarked for the first phase at a cost of about $1,8 million.

Some of the equipment was vandalised and a variety of implements delivered will definitely come in handy.