THE government has commissioned the US$244k Maponongwe-Chiguri grid electricity project in Murewa South constituency, a development that will change the lives of scores of villagers due to power accessibility.
The project was done by the Rural Electrification Agency as it moves to address power challenges in the countryside.
Several rural institutions in the area, including five schools, Business centres, clinics and agricultural extension offices, have already been electrified.
The project, which includes the erection of a 13,2km 11kV line, was completed in 68 days.
Addressing villagers at Maponongwe Primary School during the switching on ceremony, Energy and Power Development minister July Moyo said availability of power results in the empowerment of beneficiaries.
“Today we celebrate not only the extension of the grid network to public institutions and infrastructure development, but the empowerment of our rural communities who over the years have been forced to rely on uncomfortable traditional energy sources,” he said.
“In addition to schools and health facilities, this electrification project brings reliable sources of energy to business centres where village business units, the central part of rural development and empowerment of villagers, are shaping up and bringing much advantages to these formally forgotten communities.
“We understand that electricity or energy in general is a critical resource which drives the economic prosperity of our country and positively changes the living conditions of benefiting villagers, improvement of rural business operations and better working conditions of civil servants like teachers, nurses and agricultural extension staff.”
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Schools that benefited from the rural electrification include Maponongwe Primary and Pecondary, Dapandowe Primary and Chiguri Primary and Secondary.
REA acting board chairperson Cecilia Chitiyo said it is now up to villagers to tap into the power infrastructure.
“While REA has made remarkable progress in providing energy to rural public institutions, farms and business shops, a lot more needs to be done with regards to rural households,” she said.
“Uptake of electricity by villagers to their homesteads under the group scheme arrangement remained low despite an attractive subsidy offered by REA.
“As a board we want to work closely with both rural traditional and civic leadership as well as REA management to find a lasting solution to this challenge in the mindset of villagers is achieved.”
Added Chitiyo: “Guided by the National Development Strategy 2 and the Rural Energy Master Plan (REMP), and the level of commitment to work which the staff has displayed over the years, it is our hope that we will be able to speed up provision of energy to all rural households in Zimbabwe using both grid and off grid technologies, as we strive to contribute towards the attainment of the national vision, which reflects the aspirations and determination of the people of Zimbabwe.”
Since its inception in 2002, REA has electrified 11 411 rural institutions.
These include 3 256 primary schools, 1 647 secondary schools, 1 086 rural health centres, 497 government extension offices, 311 chief homesteads, 1 397 business centres, among other related projects.
