Maphisa calls for Uhuru day celebrations to deliver development

Residents of Maphisa have called on the government to ensure that the hosting of the 2026 Independence Day celebrations at the growth point leads to meaningful and lasting development rather than serving as a symbolic gesture.

The 46th anniversary commemorations are expected to bring a series of infrastructure upgrades, most notably the long-awaited rehabilitation of the Bulawayo–Maphisa and Gwanda–Maphisa roads. Information Minister Jenfan Muswere recently told a post-Cabinet media briefing that the roadworks will extend to the Mpoengs border post with Botswana to boost regional connectivity and support economic growth.

However, some locals expressed scepticism over whether these promises will materialise into tangible change for the area.

Mncedisi Mavuso Tshabalala, a resident of Johanna Mafuyana Township, said the community had mixed feelings about the announcement.

"When this news reached us, there were mixed reactions," Tshabalala said. "Some feel there is little to celebrate when our daily reality is hardship - poor roads, inadequate clinics and schools, no refuse collection, and limited service delivery. Some even say: ‘We are not yet independent.'"

Tshabalala, however, acknowledged that others in the community saw the event as a long-overdue opportunity for genuine infrastructure development and a fitting tribute to the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo, who hailed from the district.

"There is hope that this will lead to real infrastructure development," he said. "Maphisa has no stadium. People are optimistic, based on what happened in Gokwe during the last celebrations, that we could also benefit."

He also stressed the need for the event to honour the district's complicated history, including its traumatic Gukurahundi past.

"Maphisa holds painful memories," he said. "The disused mine at Falcon and the Bhalagwe detention camp are sites of immense trauma from the Gukurahundi era. These should not be ignored."

Tshabalala further appealed for the celebrations to rise above political divisions. "This must be a national event, not a political one," he said.

Ward 19 councillor Nqobizitha Ngwenya (CCC) welcomed the announcement, calling it a long-awaited acknowledgment for a district that has often felt sidelined.

"We are truly grateful. It makes us feel seen and recognised," he said.

Ngwenya confirmed that district officials had already indicated road works would begin soon.

"The Minister of State for Devolution recently visited and confirmed that the road from Maphisa to Mpoengs will be serviced," he said. "If fully tarred, it could transform our connectivity to major centres like Bulawayo, Beitbridge, and Gwanda."

He also revealed that a site had been identified for a new sports complex.

"We have secured land for a stadium, which will not only serve the Independence event but remain as a legacy project for our youth and athletes."

Ngwenya called for infrastructure upgrades ahead of the celebrations, including improved water systems, ablution facilities, and the donation of civil works equipment after the event.

"As the council, we've requested that the graders and front-end loaders used in the preparations be left for our use afterward, as our local development capacity is severely limited," he said.

Both residents and local leaders voiced a strong desire for the celebrations to reflect the area's historical significance. Maphisa is not only the home of the late Father Zimbabwe and his wife, Johanna Mafuyana Nkomo, but also holds deep cultural and political importance in the country's liberation history.

While the community remains cautiously optimistic, the message from Maphisa is clear: this Independence Day must mark more than just a moment of national pride - it must deliver meaningful progress and a turning point for long-neglected communities.