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Courtney Matende, Midlands Reporter

PRIMARY and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavima has urged churches to complement Government efforts in developing local communities through infrastructural development as well as alleviating poverty and averting hunger.

Speaking during the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) annual conference in Gokwe on Sunday, Minister Mavima applauded ZCC for contributing towards infrastructural development in the area after the Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi led church rehabilitated more than 50 kilometres of road and drilled 11 boreholes.

Minister Mavima, who is also the area’s House of Assembly member, said ZCC worked together with the District Development Fund (DDF) to rehabilitate roads that were severely damaged by Cyclone Dineo.

“I cannot thank you enough for remembering our area which had been neglected. Let me acknowledge the sterling work done by DDF, your Excellency, especially the Honourable Minister of State in Honourable Vice President Mohadi’s office, Cde Marapira, who camped here supervising the rehabilitation of roads. Four boreholes have been drilled and are working. Another seven are still to yield water. More than 50 kilometres of road have been rehabilitated,” he said.

Prof Mavima said the road rehabilitation and borehole sinking exercise was going to continue after the conference.

“This work is bound to continue after this annual conference and will cover the entire ward and beyond. The old water reticulation stretching almost 20 kilometres will be rehabilitated and the adjacent road also gravelled, facilitating much easier travel for the people for businesses. All this is in line with your vision 2030 your Excellency,” he said. 

The church has also built two primary schools and one secondary school. 

Prof Mavima said the secondary school is now ready to serve as a STEM high school after the construction of science laboratories.

“The issue of electricity was discussed during our briefing and the President promised to help supply electricity to the school soon as the school now has computers which require electricity to function,” he added.

He said ZCC also donated three 10 000 litre water tanks and two tank stands to Sai primary and secondary schools two days before the conference. 

The Minister also said people who did not have birth certificates and death certificates managed to get the documents from a team from the Registrar General’s office which was at the conference.

“The Registrar General’s office is giving documents to members of the congregation,” he said.