Mnangagwa deploys Chiwenga to spearhead special mission

President Mnangagwa has deployed Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga to spearhead the monitoring and implementation of strategic projects that are expected to have a telling effect on the economy and various communities as the economy steers towards upper middle income status by 2030.

Infrastructure development projects are expected to play a midwifery role towards delivering Government's vision and VP Chiwenga said he will be monitoring progress on various Government projects being implemented throughout the country.

He said this in Chimanimani during a tour of Manicaland which saw him visit Westend Farm, Ngangu, Jopa and Kopa on Friday. On Saturday he visited Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital in Mutare before heading to Nyanga where he toured Nyakomba Irrigation Scheme and Nyanga District Hospital.

"On my way here, I took time to visit some of these projects at Westend Farm, Chimanimani District Hospital and toured some of the roads that were rehabilitated in the aftermath of the Cyclone Idai disaster.

"These are ongoing visits that I will periodically embark on to monitor progress on various Government projects being implemented in the country," he said.

"As Government we have put particular emphasis on developing the Chimanimani and Chipinge districts following the devastating impact of Cyclone Idai which wreaked havoc in 2019. "I am delighted to be part of the people-centric new dispensation led by His Excellency ED Mnangagwa."

VP Chiwenga said Government was committed to the restoration of livelihoods of communities affected by Cyclone Idai through the rehabilitation of infrastructure which includes roads, boreholes, schools, health facilities and bridges.

The construction of permanent homes for Cyclone Idai victims, who are still living in a temporary camp, is being expedited with at least 105 houses set to be ready for occupation by June, while stretches of roads have been completed.

"In response to Cyclone Idai disaster, Government with assistance from development partners and well-wishers, embarked on several projects to bring relief to the affected communities.

"I am here today, with this team of ministers and senior Government officials to assess and monitor the implementation of these projects," said VP Chiwenga.

He said those killed by the Cyclone Idai disaster would not be forgotten and thanked the traditional leadership for their role in leading traditional ceremonies to put closure to the Cyclone Idai disaster.

"I am aware that we have some of our sons and daughters who were buried in Mozambique and whose remains have not yet been positively identified.

"Government is conscious of this predicament and is working on modalities to positively identify the remains of those buried in Mozambique so that they are brought back home for decent burials," said VP Chiwenga.

During his visit to Manicaland, he toured health facilities as well as agricultural projects and said President Mnangagwa's administration was committed to assisting rural communities industrialise their projects.

Rural communities which were in export oriented agricultural production, would play a leading role towards delivering Government's rural industrialisation drive. It was against this background that Government was now targeting to ramp up production, build value addition hubs and support services around exporting centres.

Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Nokuthula Matsikenyere accompanied VP Chiwenga on the tour and thanked him for getting the job done.