Nkomo injects US$500 into Filabusi expo as rural industrial drive gathers pace

FILABUSI - Ward 23 Insiza North shadow councillor Sikhanyisiwe Nkomo has injected US$500 into preparations for the inaugural Insiza District Industrial Expo (IDIExpo), backing efforts to turn Filabusi’s new town status into meaningful economic opportunities for rural communities.

The funds were handed over to organisers to support logistics ahead of the three‑day event set for 16 to 18 September 2026. Nkomo said the contribution aligned with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s “leaving no one and no place behind” mantra and the broader Vision 2030 development agenda.

Popularly known as the "CAA3 Queen" and "Host4ED", Nkomo said rural communities must be positioned to benefit from industrialisation rather than remain confined to subsistence activities. IDIExpo was established following Filabusi's upgrade from business centre to town status and aims to promote rural industrialisation, create market linkages and showcase investment opportunities across Insiza and Matabeleland South.

An organiser said the expo was about "creating opportunities where people live", adding that the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) would have a multiplier effect across the district. With mining, agriculture and small businesses expected to feature prominently, organisers are positioning IDIExpo as more than a conventional trade fair - a platform to anchor Filabusi’s emerging economic identity.

Nkomo’s latest contribution comes amid a series of interventions attributed to her office across Insiza North. Records show support directed towards health, education, youth empowerment, women’s livelihoods, sport and community infrastructure.

At Shangani Clinic, her office provided a deep‑freeze refrigerator for storing injections and blankets, and donated 10 000 bricks for nurses’ cottages. At Pagama Primary School, an excavator was provided to dig a water trench, alongside US$200 for the school laboratory. At Shangani Mine Primary School, pupils who passed examinations from Grade One to Seven received a live chicken as an incentive.

Youth empowerment initiatives include US$300 seed capital for a Ward 23 car‑wash project, two goats for a youth group led by Testify, and support for a piggery project led by Siziba. Football kits were donated to boys’ and girls’ teams in Shangani, Debshan Youth and Phezulu Ranch Youth.

Women’s empowerment has also featured prominently. The Leechdale Widows group received three goats, while a Shangani Station women’s group received US$300 for a goat‑rearing project. Mr and Mrs Tinos Makombe received US$600 to establish their own goat project. Through Vice Secretary Mai Mpofu, four goats and four piglets were donated to Shangani Mine, while another group under Ma Clarg received baking trays, equipment and 50kg of flour.

Community infrastructure support includes 10 000 bricks for Patriotic Vendors to construct toilets, and US$100 towards bales of clothing for resale at Debshan Ranches. Officials describe Nkomo as having "a gift of giving", with several interventions reportedly yet to be formally documented.

The expo arrives at a pivotal moment for Filabusi. Residents say the challenge is ensuring the new town status translates into economic activity rather than remaining an administrative milestone. IDIExpo is expected to bring together producers, entrepreneurs, miners, farmers, financial institutions, government agencies and investors, offering MSMEs access to markets, formalisation pathways, financing and investment information.

For a district endowed with mining and agricultural potential, proponents argue rural industrialisation can help retain more value locally by encouraging processing, manufacturing and value addition closer to production sites.

Nkomo’s US$500 contribution therefore sits within a broader narrative of community‑driven economic transformation. As Filabusi prepares to host IDIExpo, the central question is whether the new town can convert its emerging economic identity into sustainable businesses, jobs and investment.

For Ward 23 residents, the contribution is seen as another example of an approach that seeks to begin that transformation at community level — a model aligned with wider national conversations around rural industrialisation and local economic development.