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Vice President Chiwenga

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
THE Government has purchased state of the art borehole drilling equipment that can reach a depth of one kilometre to address water shortage in the country’s dry regions, Acting President General Constantino Chiwenga (Retired) has said.

Addressing a Zanu-PF rally in Gokwe North on Thursday, VP Chiwenga said five of the machines have since been imported into the county to serve provinces such as Midlands, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Masvingo

“We have areas like Gokwe in Midlands province which have perennial water challenges. We also have the same water challenges in provinces such as Masvingo and Matabeleland provinces. To address the water challenges, we have imported drilling equipment which can reach one kilometre deep down,” he said.

“Now with such equipment which can go 1 000 metres, it will be definite that we reach water for use by the people.”

VP Chiwenga called on the Gokwe community to rally behind the ruling party in the July 30 harmonised elections.

He said the Government was attending to challenges faced by the Gokwe community ranging from bad roads to poor schools and ill equipped and not easily accessible health  facilities.

“Right now we have directed the District Development Fund to start rehabilitation of the roads in rural areas and they have started the works. For schools we are aware that there are 15 of them here which are in a very bad state and we are working on a programme to make it mandatory that all Government schools in the country are uniform and well equipped with laboratories,” said VP Chiwenga.

He called on the community to embrace Government programmes like the Basic Education Assistance Module (Beam) and Presidential Scholarship programme designed to further the education of the under privileged pupils.

“Beam is paying fees for under privileged pupils. At the same time we are saying no pupils should be sent back home from school for non-payment of school fees,” said VP Chiwenga.

He said the Zanu-PF Government was also going to implement the devolution of power from the central Government to provinces.

He said all the 10 provinces had been identified for their potential to work around resources they have. “Midlands Province will major in steel production, Matabeleland North tourism and energy development, Bulawayo will be an industrial hub, Harare ICT for example. These provinces will generate their own money for the GDP from the resources they have after which they will support the national Government. Each province is unique in its own way which can be used to develop it and the country at large,” he said.

VP Chiwenga also paid tribute to the late Father Zimbabwe Cde Joshua Nkomo for his immense contribution to the peace and tranquility which the country is enjoying.

“Father Zimbabwe would have turned 100 years if he was alive this year and in his honour I was at the University of Zimbabwe in the morning (Thursday) giving a public lecturer in honour of Father Zimbabwe who dedicated his life to the development of the country. He will forever be remembered as the father of Zimbabwe who dedicated his life for us to enjoy the peace we have today,” he said. — @pchitumba1