Govt salutes villagers for paving way for powerline

Umguza (New Ziana) – Energy and Power Development Minister, Soda Zhemu has saluted villagers in Mguza district in Matabeleland North province for voluntarily leaving their ancestral land to pave way for the construction of a new 400kv power transmission line from Hwange.

Some of the families displaced by the project were moved to Hope Fountain on the outskirts of Bulawayo where the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) built state of the art houses for them.

Others will be moved elsewhere in the region, and also provided with similar accommodation. In total, ZPC is expected to build 72 houses under the project.

The houses range from two to four roomed units, and also include a kitchen with a thatched roof, a toilet, water source and a kraal.

Speaking at a handover ceremony for the houses, Zhemu commended the families for agreeing to leave their ancestral homes to pave way for the new powerline from Hwange Power Station.

“As government, we would like to thank you for agreeing to leave your ancestral land to pave way for the powerline and sacrificing your own comfort for a bigger national cause,” said Zhemu.

He said the recently completed Hwange Unit 7 and 8 expansion projects, carried out at a cost of US$1.4 billion, had added 600 megawatts to the national grid, and reduced electricity shortages.

New Ziana