Mnangagwa expected to launch the Presidential Solarisation Programme

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to launch the Presidential Solar Programme, which aims to provide solar power to 200,000 households in villages across Zimbabwe's eight rural provinces. The initiative is part of the government's efforts to enhance rural electrification and improve energy access in remote areas.

Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Jenfan Muswere, revealed this development during a post-cabinet media briefing on Tuesday. He highlighted that the programme's implementation plan, approved in December 2024, has reached significant milestones. Guidelines for execution have been established, and the identification of beneficiaries in rural areas has been completed. Community mobilisation efforts, led by provincial ministers, have also been finalised.

The installation of the solar kits will be carried out by graduates of the Youth Service in Zimbabwe, with technical assistance from experts from the Harare Institute of Technology and the Rural Electrification Agency. The official launch by President Mnangagwa will mark the beginning of the first phase of the programme, which is expected to significantly improve energy access in underserved communities.

In addition to the solar programme, the cabinet also discussed key priorities for the upcoming National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which will run from January 2026 to December 2030. Dr. Muswere explained that NDS2 will serve as the Second Republic's second five-year Medium-Term Plan, following the completion of NDS1 in December 2025.

Ten national priorities have been identified to guide NDS2, including macroeconomic stability, infrastructure development, job creation, food security, climate resilience, and international diplomacy. The government aims to optimise resource allocation and improve coordination across sectors to ensure effective service delivery. A broad-based consultative process will be conducted to finalise the NDS2 blueprint, which is expected to be launched by October 2025.

Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, highlighted the lessons learned from NDS1 and the importance of a coordinated government approach in executing national strategies. He emphasised the need to eliminate bureaucratic silos to ensure all sectors work together in achieving Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 goal of becoming an upper-middle-income economy.

The cabinet also reviewed the food security outlook for the 2024/2025 summer cropping season. According to Dr. Muswere, the Grain Marketing Board currently holds 129,149 metric tonnes of grain, which is sufficient to meet rural communities' needs until the next harvest in April 2025. The government continues to monitor grain imports, stocks at millers, and international prices to prevent market manipulation.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has set up 214 surveillance traps to monitor an outbreak of the African Armyworm, described as the worst in 20 years. The government is closely monitoring the situation to mitigate its impact on food production.

With the launch of the Presidential Solar Programme and the formulation of NDS2, Zimbabwe is taking crucial steps towards sustainable development, economic transformation, and improved living standards for rural communities.