Zimpapers Logo

Old Bulawayo, which was built by King Lobengula in 1870 and was burnt down in 1881 to counter invasion by white colonialists, is part of the Heritage Corridor recently launched by President Mnangagwa. 

The historical monument is an important cultural heritage site for tourism and education.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the Nust campus radio station project is on course with studio renovations and civil works for the installation of the campus radio station now 90 percent complete.

“The campus radio station is set to increase access to information by university students, staff and nearby communities within its coverage and it is 90 percent complete,” she said

The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) last year awarded Nust a licence to operate a campus radio together with LSU and Harare Polytechnic.

The other academic institutions, which have also been licensed include Great Zimbabwe University, University of Zimbabwe and Midlands State University. 

Minister Mutsvangwa said the LSU campus radio project is at 50 percent completion stage with the transmission equipment having been availed for installation by Transmedia. 

She also outlined progress made on seven projects under her purview including the Zimbabwe in Brief Production, the National Heroes/Heroines Obituaries production, and the Twasumbuka Community Radio Tower construction in Binga District, which is 20 percent complete. The preliminary feasibility works have been completed. 

Minister Mutsvangwa said other projects include the modernisation of Radio Zimbabwe Transmission Studio and the Realities of the Pledge project, which targets to produce videographic testimonials of Second Republic national flagship projects for an empowered and informed citizenry. The project is 60 percent complete.

The minister said collected footage covers projects such as the major roads including the Harare-Bulawayo and Harare-Beitbridge highways, Cyclone Idai Resettlements, and some of the dams such as Lake Gwayi-Shangani, Tuli-Manyange, Chivhu, Muchekeranwa and Marovanyati.

The Zimbabwe in Brief Production, a periodical which seeks to attract foreign and domestic investment and guide potential investors and tourists as well as inform citizens about their country, is 40 percent complete.

“The National Heroes/Heroines Obituaries which will provide profiles of those not covered by the current Guide is 20 percent complete including preliminary works,” she said.

The project is being carried out with the aim of increasing awareness and appreciation of the role played by the liberation fighters towards the country’s Independence.

The establishment of the LSU agro-innovation and industrial park is complete.

LSU director of marketing and communication, Mr Zwelithini Dlamini said the goat project is part of the projects under the university’s Dryland Agro Innovation and Industrialisation Programme.

“The programme is in line with the university’s mandate of promoting agriculture in semi-arid regions of the country. The project is also in sync with our parent ministry’s agenda of developing, modernising, and industrialising Zimbabwe through education, science and technology development in pursuit of the national vision of an upper-middle economy by 2030,” he said.

“The project aims to expand chevon goat production capacity in the first year, establish an out-grower and pass-on scheme in the second year and implement value addition in the third year through producing and processing of skins apart from chevon and cheese production.”

The infrastructure for goats with capacity to house 1 000 animals is being established. Already two sheds that accommodate 500 goats have been built while two more are under construction.

“Poultry houses that can house 2 500 birds are under construction. We have completed two facilities that can house 1 000 birds while incubators that can produce 5 000-day-old chicks have been procured,” said Mr Dlamini.

He said the programme has boosted the infrastructure for the university’s core business of human capital development.

“The infrastructure is critical for teaching and learning, research, community service and provision of goods and services in line with the Education 5.0 agenda. The university is mandated with agriculture in semi-arid areas and this project is key in that regard,” said Mr Dlamini.

A total of 521 goats were procured and they will produce seeding stock for the out-grower and pass-on schemes aimed at upscaling goat production to an industrial scale and improving income for the farming community.

In terms of the campus radio station, Mr Dlamini said they expect the studios to be ready for furnishing with equipment in the next few weeks and going on air in October.

“The equipment procurement process is at an advanced stage and we are still expecting to go on air in October. We have started inviting students, staff and our Lupane stakeholders to submit concepts for development,” he said.

“Programming for the station will be aimed at equipping the youths with requisite skills for the development of our country. The radio will also benefit primary and high school learners within our broadcasting jurisdiction and the local community at large.”

In Matabeleland South province, work on the decentralisation of passport services to Beitbridge District has reached 65 percent. Once opened, the Beitbridge district registry office will bring relief to thousands of Zimbabweans living in South Africa who used to incur costs travelling to Bulawayo, Gwanda and Harare for passport services.

The latest development is part of the Second Republic’s vision to bring services closer to the people across the country, consistent with the philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind. The Registrar-General Mr Henry Machiri said the Civil Registry Department will soon open more e-passport registry offices at districts across the country.

So far, the e-passport is being issued in Harare, Bulawayo, Lupane and Hwange and Murehwa. The construction of the home economics block at Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo Polytechnic has reached 99 percent completion.

Construction of the Gwanda State University’s engineering laboratory and innovation complex is now 50 percent complete. The mining laboratory has been constructed to lintel level. – @mashnets.