Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
Patrick Chitumba and Freedom Mupanedemo
THE Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa has delivered on its promises to develop infrastructure such as roads and airports, boost food security, and ensure higher and tertiary education institutions play a key role in transforming the economy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has said.
VP Chiwenga said this while addressing thousands of Zanu PF party supporters at Mkoba Stadium in Gweru yesterday.
He was campaigning for the ruling party’s candidates for Mkoba North, Mkoba South and Gweru Urban constituencies.
The party will be represented by Cdes William Gondo (Mkoba North), Cde Wellington Magura (Mkoba South) and Cde Alex Mukwembi (Gweru Urban).
Said Cde Chiwenga: “The Second Republic under the leadership of President Mnangagwa has delivered on its promises with numerous high-impact investments covering different sectors of the economy being harnessed amid innovative strides by higher and tertiary learning centres, robust infrastructure development projects and increasing domestic production.”
He said the Second Republic has succeeded in ensuring food self-sustenance under the Agriculture 8:0 programme being enabled by initiatives like Pfumvudza/Intwasa, Presidential Climate-Proofed Cotton Inputs, Presidential Goats Scheme, Presidential Poultry Scheme, Presidential Fisheries Scheme, Presidential Tick Grease Scheme, Presidential Borehole Drilling Programme and Nutrition Gardens.
VP Chiwenga said President Mnangagwa is a man of action and everything that was promised under the Second Republic is being fulfilled.
“We have the provincial councils that will be spearheading development in all the country’s provinces. The Second Republic is also revamping the health system through construction of more health facilities across the country. There will be provincial pharmacies that will stock all the medication,” said VP Chiwenga, who is also Health and Child Care Minister.
Under the Second Republic, said Chiwenga, Zimbabwe has been driving massive coal to energy development projects, with the US$1,4 billion expansion of Hwange Power Station helping eliminate power shortages.
The expansion of Hwange Power Station saw the Units 7 and 8 being constructed, both with a capacity of 300MW each.
“As a country we said goodbye to Zesa challenges with the commissioning of Units 7 and 8 at Hwange,” said VP Chiwenga. “If we experience power challenges, it will be because of maintenance works being carried out.
“We want to commence power generation at every dam that is being rehabilitated so as to produce more power so that we boost production.”
VP Chiwenga said the Second Republic was also working on revamping the country’s rail and road system, starting with the construction of a new railway line from Binga to Gweru’s Dabuka.
“The Second Republic will also revive the electric railway system through an agreement which was made between Zimbabwe and India,” he said.
“The Government recently sealed an agreement to revamp the railway system with India, a deal which will see the country receiving a number of trains and locomotives from that country.”
Cde Chiwenga said Midlands province will be the country’s industrial hub under the Second Republic, with the opening of one of Southern Africa’s biggest steel plants, the US$1 billion Manhize plant in Mvuma before year end.
The world class iron and steel plant would tap into a resource base that is estimated to last for 100 years.
The integrated project, which comprises a carbon and steel plant, an iron ore mine, and a ferrochrome plant, will also result in over 10 000 people benefiting through employment across value chains.
Said Cde Chiwenga: “We are here in the Midlands Province today, the province that is turning out to be the country’s industrial hub under the Second Republic.
“This is also one of the many positives to be realised in the country under the Second Republic. You, the people of Mkoba and the country at large, must therefore vote resoundingly for President Mnangagwa and the revolutionary party so that the Second Republic can go ahead with its promise to grow the economy in line with Vision 2030.”
The revival of Ziscosteel in Redcliff is also underway, said Cde Chiwenga, adding that mining companies in the province such as Murowa Diamonds in Zvishavane, Unki Mines in Shurugwi and Mimosa Mining Company in Zvishavane, were also expanding their operations.
Cde Chiwenga said the Second Republic has a programme to demolish ageing suburbs like Mbare in Harare, Mtapa in Gweru and Makokoba in Bulawayo, and build modern high rising buildings.
“For 23 years, the opposition has run down urban councils and it is high time that you do away with them by voting for Zanu PF councillors,” he said. “Refuse collection and sewer reticulation systems are pathetic in all urban councils and the Second Republic will be reviving all this after elections.”
Cde Chiwenga called for a moment of silence to pray for peaceful elections.
“Zimbabwe is endowed with natural resources and we ask God to instil peace, love and unity, among Zimbabweans, as we build a better country together,” he said.
Gweru, he said, is a special and sacred city in terms of the independence of the country.
He added that it was at Mtapa Hall where the first Zanu PF congress was held in 1964.
It is the city where national heroes such as Cdes Nikita Mangena, Josiah Tongogara, Leopold Takawira, Cephas Msipa and Richard Hove, among others, came from.
The late party stalwarts such as former Vice Presidents Cde Simon Muzenda and Dr Joshua Nkomo, also started their political journeys in the Midlands.
“These liberation luminaries should be remembered when people go to vote on August 23,” said Cde