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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected]

VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Constantino Chiwenga yesterday implored the electorate to vote for President Mnangagwa in the August 23 harmonised elections as he has religiously fulfilled the promises he made when he assumed power in 2017.

Speaking during a Zanu PF star rally in Cowdray Park suburb in Bulawayo, VP Chiwenga who is also the ruling party’s Second Secretary, said the President deserves to be given another mandate to finish the outstanding projects.

He said Bulawayo has over the past four years witnessed tremendous growth with a number of projects being implemented under the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa.

The Vice-President noted that the country’s second largest city is facing perennial water problems, which are set to be permanently addressed following President Mnangagwa’s intervention.

“President Mnangagwa made a bold assurance that the Lake Gwayi-Shangani project, which was mooted in 1912 will be among his top priority projects. The project, which is now 70 percent complete, brings the century-old dream to reality,” he said.

The massive project is among the flagship infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa in its drive to foster inclusive economic transformation.

It is the country’s third largest inland dam after Tugwi Mukosi and Lake Mutirikwi with a gross carrying capacity of 650 million cubic meters.

Government has also identified 10 000 hectares of land that will be irrigated in various districts in Matabeleland North to enhance food security as communities along the pipeline are expected to benefit from the water passing through their villages.

A 10MW hydroelectric power station will be established on site, which will boost electricity generation.

Lake Gwayi Shangani is expected to boost the tourism sector while economic activities directly linked to the dam will be rolled out downstream.

“We opened the Nyamandlovu aquifer so that Bulawayo can access water and boreholes are being drilled here. President Mnangagwa is leading the Zanu-PF party in the forthcoming harmonised elections. We accompanied him here so that he can share with us his message to the people of Bulawayo and the rest of the country,” said VP Chiwenga.

He said through President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, the country is set to attain an upper-middle-income status in the next seven years.

Other projects that have been completed in Bulawayo include the US$17 million Bulawayo Students’ accommodation complex near the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) that was constructed through the Infrastructural Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ).

The Second Republic has also established six innovation hubs at six state universities including Nust to proffer home-based solutions to industrial needs and drive economic revival.

The Nust Innovation Hub is fully operational and is conducting DNA tests at an affordable cost.
At the United Bulawayo Hospitals, a state-of-the-art laboratory was recently completed and set for commissioning.

The laboratory which will have 37 scientists is one of the largest laboratories in the country and will eliminate the need to outsource some services for the hospital.

VP Chiwenga said Bulawayo had also experienced massive de-industrialisation. He, however, said a deliberate position by Government had seen some big companies such as Treger, National Blankets, and the Cold Storage Company (CSC) among others being recapitalised.

The Vice-President said since President Mnangagwa came into power, he has not reneged on his promises.

“Those with eyes and ears are seeing and hearing about all the progress that has been done by the Second Republic. There is no place or area in all four corners of the country that has no tangible developmental projects,” he said.

VP Chiwenga also chronicled strides made in the education and health sectors within a short space of time.

“This is why we accompanied the President so that as Zanu-PF we must safeguard the great vision that he has for the nation, and safeguard the ideology of the country. There is nothing difficult really because even during the war, some people would run away hence we have some who are now being swayed by some smaller political parties,” he said.

“As we vote, let’s tick on the Zanu-PF Presidential candidate’s box, Member of Parliament box, and councillor’s box. Once we do that, President Mnangagwa’s team will be complete and this will cascade to those of our members under the quota system, which is why we are now saying let’s get the six million votes.”

VP Chiwenga said if Zanu PF garners more than 80 percent of total votes, the country will be a shining example, not only in the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region but in the whole world as well.

Speaking during the same occasion, Zanu PF Second Secretary, Cde Kembo Mohadi, said the Presidential address was refreshing, particularly for the people of Bulawayo following  an assurance that the Second Republic will revitalise the city so that it regains its status as the country’s industrial hub.

“I want to thank you, Your Excellency, for the work that you did today in Cowdray Park. You took us down memory lane when you outlined what the Zanu-PF party did and what kind of an organisation it is,” he said.

“You informed us how this city, once the country’s industrial hub, can be revitalised to its status again, especially since water has been the major challenge, a situation that saw many companies closing down and relocating.”