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PRESIDENT Mnangagwa, following his re-election in the August national elections, continues with his philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind in the country’s development trajectory.

In keeping up with the President’s promise to leapfrog previously marginalised communities like Binga in Matabeleland North, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka, last Wednesday supervised the drilling of a borehole at Chief Binga’s homestead.

On top of the borehole, two 10 000-litre water tanks were installed along with the laying of a piped water scheme, and the creation of a one-hectare nutritional garden at Chief Binga’s homestead.

The project, part of the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme, has inspired hope and development in Binga through improved access to clean and safe water, which is transforming the livelihoods of the previously marginalised remote and dry district in Matabeleland North province. 

For many years, the people of Binga have relied on hand-pumped boreholes, which are often scarce, unreliable, and contaminated. But things are changing for the better, thanks to a new Government initiative that aims to provide water for all. 

Since its commencement early last year, the initiative involves drilling boreholes and establishing nutritional gardens in every village across the country, starting with the homesteads of the traditional leaders.

Dr Masuka said the project was part of a well-planned Government programme to ensure improved access to water and food security for rural communities. He said the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) had procured 100 rigs to be deployed to each of the country’s districts to drill boreholes. 

Better Brands, a contracted company, is responsible for setting up the nutritional gardens, which would provide a variety of crops for the villagers, the minister said.

“President Mnangagwa said we should drill boreholes in every village in the country. We have 35 000 villages and village heads, So Zinwa has procured 100 borehole drilling rigs so each of the country’s districts will have borehole drilling equipment. We want to make sure that at the end of 2026, we have completed this process,” said Dr Masuka.

Dr Anxious Masuka

He added that the Government plans to drill boreholes in each of the country’s schools to improve sanitation.

Dr Masuka said communities should also engage in empowerment projects in their respective locations.

“We have also said in each ward, we identify two places where we drill a borehole, electrify it and mount tanks so that they embark on a horticulture irrigation programme. These are projects to benefit communities. We don’t want our youth to be idle and some of them to end up abusing drugs,” said Dr Masuka.

He said for the chiefs, Government has a separate programme as it is also drilling boreholes and establishing nutritional gardens for them for improved food security. 

“This equipment that is being installed here means you now have a business. I have experts here who will explain to you how you should run this enterprise which we call the village business unit. They will teach how you will commercialise this entity and how you can access markets. This is a business that the President has started for you. This is the same thing we are doing at the irrigation (Bulawayo Kraal) it is a business that we are starting,” he said.