Sharon Chigeza
MUTARE-The drive to electrify rural regions is advancing steadily, with the communities of Kazozo, Mangezi, and Mukunza in Nyanga now linked to the national grid through the Government’s accelerated Rural Electrification Programme.
This initiative has powered three schools, four business centres, and a clinic, representing a significant leap forward in enhancing energy access and fostering development in the country’s rural areas.
Residents report that the arrival of electricity is transformative for their daily lives.
“Our daughters can now receive proper care when they are pregnant at the local clinic,” shared one parent.
A guardian added, “This development brings me joy, as our children will now learn ICT skills, just like their urban peers.”
“We can now operate businesses that depend on power; here I run a welding service and earn a livelihood from it,” stated a local entrepreneur.
Outlining the programme’s breadth, Rural Electrification Agency Acting CEO Felista Makumbinde confirmed the goal is to electrify every rural area in the province by 2030.
“As the REA, our mission is to reach all rural communities with electricity, and we are committed to ensuring that certainly no place and no one will be left behind,” she affirmed.
This push for rural energy aligns with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s governing philosophy of inclusive development.
“The introduction of electricity is a direct reflection of President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, which emphasises that no one and no place will be left behind,” said Nyanga North Legislator, Honourable Chido Sanyatwe.
The Minister of Energy and Power Development, Honourable July Moyo, urged the community, “This power has been brought to you, the residents of this area; use it productively. We are committed to the target of connecting all rural areas to the grid by 2030.”
The electrification effort supports the government’s wider rural industrialisation agenda, which aims to build sustainable rural economies and uplift lives through an inclusive development model.
