The donation which was made by the Minister of Finance and
Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube, at the ex-freedom fighters’
Entumbane offices (Emaplankeni) will also see the surrounding community
benefitting from the water as the city is facing water challenges.
The war veterans said they were setting up a massive
poultry project and green houses to kick start their projects. In his handover
speech, Prof Ncube said he was responding to calls from the province that their
offices had no security and needed to be fenced off.
“I am glad to be back, a year ago I toured the place and I
was informed by the chairman of the war veterans (Cde Cephas Ncube) that they
needed a fence to secure their place.
They had been victims of vandalism and theft at the premises
including a petrol bomb attack that occurred that was later put out by
residents in the community.
He also told me that they had one borehole yet the area was
large with water use for commercial agriculture use being inadequate. I
listened to their plight and I have brought back what they requested for,” he
said.
Prof Ncube said the Government was interested in seeing the
welfare of war veterans being improved regularly in terms of pensions, health
care and many other areas.
The Government has okayed the payment of their bonuses in
foreign currency together with their spouses and children at the end of
November.
He highlighted that the Government had set aside for the
war veterans 21 mining claims all over the country, tourism assets, six farms, a
property development company and a financial services company.
The Minister said he was doing several other projects in
the city in a bid to improve the livelihoods of the communities and had started
the construction of a clinic in Cowdray Park.
“Cowdray Park has no clinic, and we are solving that
problem, we received US$200 million from the United Kingdom which is aimed at
building clinics throughout the country and the first clinic was constructed in
Harare South and Cowdray Park is the second site and the foundation has been
constructed. We also understand that there is a police post that is also
required and we are working on that to improve security,” he said.
The provincial chairman of the war veterans, Cde Cephas
Ncube, said they were grateful for the donation of the boreholes, drip
irrigation and the perimeter fence saying the veterans had a role in rebuilding
the country. Cde Ncube said children of war veterans will inherit the projects
left behind by the older generation whose numbers he said were dwindling.
He paid tribute to former chairman of the war veterans Cde
Jabulani Sibanda who attended the handover saying he was taking his words
forward of calling for development of the provincial headquarters saying
agricultural projects must be started as soon as possible as they were now
equipped. The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde
Judith Ncube also applauded Prof Ncube for his timeous donations.
Meanwhile, Zanu-PF Deputy National Political Commissar Cde
Omega Hungwe was in the province where she held several meetings with the
leadership and members of the party applauding them for managing to mobilise
members and strengthen their structures.Her key message was also on the need
for youths to take up leadership roles in order to ensure continuity in the
party also applauding Bulawayo Province for the good work in terms of
mobilising members.
“If youths want to take up positions let them do so, even
if their parents hold positions in the party too, that is legacy. I am happy
that Bulawayo Province is moving forward in pushing the agenda of the party.
There is no room for tribalism but unity only is needed. In 2023 we want the
President to win resoundingly,” she said. Sunday News
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