Mashonaland Central Province saw big upgrades last year, according to the local minister, Christopher Magomo, and infrastructure director Walter Chahweta. The push was part of the final stage of a national plan called NDS1, which tried to build up every area. Work happened on water, roads, power, schools, and clinics. Key projects included the giant Dande Dam and Tunnel effort, along with other dams like Semwa, Bindura, and Mbada. Road work on the Harare-Kanyemba route and others moved forward. A solar park in Guruve got built, and over a hundred new classrooms popped up across the province.
The provincial leadership credited a devolution strategy, letting communities help plan through something called the Provincial Economic Development Plan. They said this led to tangible stuff like fixed roads, new clinics in several districts, and a big borehole repair program. A cell phone factory at Bindura University, named Palpo, basically finished and started making devices. Officials admitted problems, though, like cash arriving late, storms wrecking stuff, and some work not being of great quality. They specifically said no devolution money actually got sent out last year, which killed some projects and forced towns to spend their own scarce funds.
Looking at this year, the province wants to keep the momentum on the major Harare-Kanyemba road, build more dams, fix rivers, and work on housing. A cross-border conservation project with Mozambique, referred to as ZIMOZA, is also on the list. The director stated that with better money and teamwork, the area could speed up development. The overall tone was that actual physical progress got made, but the funding system needs to be way more reliable for it to last.
The provincial leadership credited a devolution strategy, letting communities help plan through something called the Provincial Economic Development Plan. They said this led to tangible stuff like fixed roads, new clinics in several districts, and a big borehole repair program. A cell phone factory at Bindura University, named Palpo, basically finished and started making devices. Officials admitted problems, though, like cash arriving late, storms wrecking stuff, and some work not being of great quality. They specifically said no devolution money actually got sent out last year, which killed some projects and forced towns to spend their own scarce funds.
Looking at this year, the province wants to keep the momentum on the major Harare-Kanyemba road, build more dams, fix rivers, and work on housing. A cross-border conservation project with Mozambique, referred to as ZIMOZA, is also on the list. The director stated that with better money and teamwork, the area could speed up development. The overall tone was that actual physical progress got made, but the funding system needs to be way more reliable for it to last.
