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Mnangagwa's govt sunk US$10m into chaotic Independence day fete
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The Zimbabwean government could have sunk up to US$10 million into the Independence Day celebrations held on Friday, which were marred by a series of embarrassing infrastructure failures and poor workmanship at the venue in Mutora growth point. What was meant to be a grand national celebration turned farcical as heavy rains exposed the subpar quality of the construction work, leaving the grounds waterlogged and the stadium infrastructure in disarray before the event had even begun.
Ahead of the celebrations, the government announced a massive revamp of the infrastructure at Nembudziya open grounds, with Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe claiming that a "new fully equipped, modern stadium" had been constructed for the main event. However, by the time the celebrations began, the reality was starkly different. The pitch at the newly built stadium quickly became waterlogged due to a poorly designed drainage system, leaving the grounds unfit for use. Videos circulating on social media showed bucket seats being uprooted before the event ended, and security force parades were disrupted as they struggled to navigate the soggy ground.
One of the highlights of the day, a match between Premier Soccer League champions Simba Bhora and FC Platinum, was cut short after just 15 minutes. The unplayable surface raised questions about how millions of dollars allocated for the event were spent, and whether they were used effectively. Zimbabweans across the country expressed their outrage, calling for accountability over the mishandling of public funds.
The government had promised to regravel and resurface major feeder roads to and from Mutora growth point, but this was not the case. This publication witnessed a last-minute rush to rehabilitate the roads, with some Zanu-PF officials complaining about the state of the roads and several vehicles getting stuck in the mud. Despite the government's promises, the roads were not adequately prepared for the influx of people expected at the celebrations.
The government's pledges to construct two ablution blocks and two student hostels at Nyamuroro High School, where the children's party was to be held, were also left incomplete. Similarly, Nembudziya Government High School, which hosted a gala on Friday night, had not seen the promised construction of classroom blocks, a domestic science laboratory, or a senior science laboratory. These unfinished projects have led to frustration among locals, who feel that the district missed an opportunity to develop during the event.
Villagers, like Tatenda Mugari, expressed mixed feelings about the preparations, citing unfinished projects and questioning whether funds were misappropriated. "It would not be surprising to hear that funds were stolen because there are still some unfinished projects," Mugari said. "Some classroom blocks at schools are yet to be finished, but there are some areas where they have done well, for example, drilling boreholes."
Zanu-PF Midlands province chairman Edson Chihengere, however, claimed that all promised projects were completed, including school blocks and solarised boreholes, despite evidence to the contrary. "Gokwe district is one of the most underdeveloped, but we want to thank President Emmerson Mnangagwa for drilling solarised boreholes for our people," he said.
Information Minister Jenfan Muswere defended the government's record, stating that over 8,000 projects had been completed countrywide, including those in Gokwe. "We have now completed over 8,000 projects countrywide under the leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa," Muswere said, referring to the ongoing development efforts in the Midlands province.
Despite the government's plans to host 60,000 people at the celebrations, the actual turnout was much lower, with less than a tenth of the expected crowd attending. This has raised further questions about the efficacy of the event's planning and the use of public resources.
Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga could not be reached for comment to confirm how much the Treasury had allocated for the celebrations, amid reports that several millions were spent on preparatory works. Garwe, who was overseeing logistics and infrastructure projects for the event, was also unavailable for comment.
In addition to government funds, Zanu-PF officials in the Midlands collected money from local businesses, claiming the funds would be channeled towards the Independence Day celebrations. However, the companies responsible for the Gokwe projects remain undisclosed, further fueling concerns about the transparency and accountability of the event's financial management.
The Independence Day celebrations in Gokwe-Nembudziya have drawn heavy criticism for the government's failure to deliver on its promises, leaving many questioning whether the funds allocated for the event were properly utilized or misappropriated for political gain.
Ahead of the celebrations, the government announced a massive revamp of the infrastructure at Nembudziya open grounds, with Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe claiming that a "new fully equipped, modern stadium" had been constructed for the main event. However, by the time the celebrations began, the reality was starkly different. The pitch at the newly built stadium quickly became waterlogged due to a poorly designed drainage system, leaving the grounds unfit for use. Videos circulating on social media showed bucket seats being uprooted before the event ended, and security force parades were disrupted as they struggled to navigate the soggy ground.
One of the highlights of the day, a match between Premier Soccer League champions Simba Bhora and FC Platinum, was cut short after just 15 minutes. The unplayable surface raised questions about how millions of dollars allocated for the event were spent, and whether they were used effectively. Zimbabweans across the country expressed their outrage, calling for accountability over the mishandling of public funds.
The government had promised to regravel and resurface major feeder roads to and from Mutora growth point, but this was not the case. This publication witnessed a last-minute rush to rehabilitate the roads, with some Zanu-PF officials complaining about the state of the roads and several vehicles getting stuck in the mud. Despite the government's promises, the roads were not adequately prepared for the influx of people expected at the celebrations.
The government's pledges to construct two ablution blocks and two student hostels at Nyamuroro High School, where the children's party was to be held, were also left incomplete. Similarly, Nembudziya Government High School, which hosted a gala on Friday night, had not seen the promised construction of classroom blocks, a domestic science laboratory, or a senior science laboratory. These unfinished projects have led to frustration among locals, who feel that the district missed an opportunity to develop during the event.
Villagers, like Tatenda Mugari, expressed mixed feelings about the preparations, citing unfinished projects and questioning whether funds were misappropriated. "It would not be surprising to hear that funds were stolen because there are still some unfinished projects," Mugari said. "Some classroom blocks at schools are yet to be finished, but there are some areas where they have done well, for example, drilling boreholes."
Zanu-PF Midlands province chairman Edson Chihengere, however, claimed that all promised projects were completed, including school blocks and solarised boreholes, despite evidence to the contrary. "Gokwe district is one of the most underdeveloped, but we want to thank President Emmerson Mnangagwa for drilling solarised boreholes for our people," he said.
Information Minister Jenfan Muswere defended the government's record, stating that over 8,000 projects had been completed countrywide, including those in Gokwe. "We have now completed over 8,000 projects countrywide under the leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa," Muswere said, referring to the ongoing development efforts in the Midlands province.
Despite the government's plans to host 60,000 people at the celebrations, the actual turnout was much lower, with less than a tenth of the expected crowd attending. This has raised further questions about the efficacy of the event's planning and the use of public resources.
Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga could not be reached for comment to confirm how much the Treasury had allocated for the celebrations, amid reports that several millions were spent on preparatory works. Garwe, who was overseeing logistics and infrastructure projects for the event, was also unavailable for comment.
In addition to government funds, Zanu-PF officials in the Midlands collected money from local businesses, claiming the funds would be channeled towards the Independence Day celebrations. However, the companies responsible for the Gokwe projects remain undisclosed, further fueling concerns about the transparency and accountability of the event's financial management.
The Independence Day celebrations in Gokwe-Nembudziya have drawn heavy criticism for the government's failure to deliver on its promises, leaving many questioning whether the funds allocated for the event were properly utilized or misappropriated for political gain.
Source - the standard
