Zimpapers Logo

Leonard Ncube, [email protected]

BATOKA, Monde and Ndlovu centres outside Victoria Falls have been earmarked for development into modern specialised smart cities as the Government takes a bold step towards transforming communities in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and Vision 2030.

The development of the three cities buttress the combined development of Matabeleland North Province as a key component of transforming Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.

Victoria Falls was designated a Special Economic Zone with a special focus on tourism in line with the Government’s commitment to transform Matabeleland North into a world-class tourism hub.

The development of the Victoria Falls-Hwange-Binga SEZ comprises Masuwe, Batoka and Ndlovu satellite towns, Hwange, Mlibizi, Binga, and Sijalila along the Zambezi River.

Government intends to transform Victoria Falls into the country’s conference capital and plans are afoot to build a multi-purpose convention centre with top-notch facilities such as five-star hotels, medical facilities, a university, a Zimbabwe Defence Forces camp and sporting facilities.

Already, President Mnangagwa officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony of the 10 000-seater cricket stadium marking the start of construction of the facility in Masuwe City.

Speaking at the 10th CEOs Africa Roundtable meeting in Victoria Falls recently, AMRE Investments chief executive engineer Andrew Muchechetere said sustainable cities were a revolutionary idea that requires a new approach that moves away from colonial cities to modern smart cities.

He said presently, legislation does not provide incentives or instruments to support the revolution hence innovation is needed.
Eng Muchechetere said there is a vision to change the face of Matabeleland North by making use of vast land under the Hwange Rural District Council.

Delegates follow proceedings at the CEOs Africa Roundtable meeting in Victoria Falls recently

The modern smart city agenda is the new world order with countries focusing on Artificial Intelligence, sustainable use and harnessing clean energy and water as well as gas emissions reduction to address the impact of climate change while building a sustainable future.

“We are developing modern cities. Three growth points in Matabeleland North have been developed on paper for cities. The creation of modern cities must be integrated and create business,” said Eng Muchechetere.

“Monde will become a leisure city while Batoka will be a commercial city with a digital stock exchange. Because of its proximity to the Victoria Falls International Airport, Ndlovu will become a sports city.”

Eng Muchechetere said these three were supposed to be growth points but would become district towns.

“Modern cities should be smart cities with the Internet of things and sustainable services providing the population with somewhere to live, work, shop and play,” he said.

Land developers and estate experts have called for alignment of legislation away from the colonial Rural, Urban and Town Planning Act of 1977 which is now outdated and not giving new developments the opportunities to explore technology.

Monde is located less than 10km away from

Ndlovu is located about 40km outside Victoria Falls and about 20km from the airport while Batoka is located about 50km downstream along the Zambezi River where Zimbabwe and Zambia are implementing the US$4 billion hydro-power project.

The Batoka project will have two 1 200MW power plants on either side of the river, a sub-station, transmission, a new settlement and road infrastructure.

Batoka City is a key component of the Government’s drive to steer development in Matabeleland North, particularly along the Victoria Falls-Hwange-Binga corridor.

The Second Republic is focused on driving the robust economic transformation of the province by unlocking its vast investment potential so that it contributes more to the mainstream economy.

Government identified land where a city will be built as part of the Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric project. The coming in of Batoka City will be a big boost for the broader Matabeleland North development which has in the recent past become an economic epicenter following designation of Victoria

Falls as an S.E.Z and elevation of Victoria Falls into a city.