RUSHINGA – THE new Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs
and Devolution, Christopher Magomo, has pleaded with Treasury to swiftly release
funds for the construction of the “life-changing” Semwa Dam in Rushinga.
Minister Magomo toured the dam recently, accompanied by a number of senior
Government officials from the Office of the President and Cabinet, Government
departments and agencies.
The dam engineer explained that the dam is now at 32 percent in terms of
completion and would take approximately two to three years to complete.
However, Minister Magomo is of the opinion that the dam must be completed as
early as possible so that the Rushinga and Mt Darwin communities can start to
benefit from it.
The dam will provide sufficient water to the two border districts known for their
perennial droughts and dire water shortages.
Residents here currently compete for water points with their livestock and wild
animals along Ruya and Mazowe rivers.
However, they are optimistic that after Semwa Dam construction, this will be a thing
of the past.
Mothers foresee themselves running lucrative market gardening projects while men
see the dam as a source of revenue generation through fishing.
The Minister also toured Mt Darwin and Guruve districts.
In Mt Darwin, he was not happy with the state of infrastructure at Mukumbura Border
Post.
“The infrastructure is very old, we need to upgrade it. Also, the link road from Harare,
the capital to this border still has patches of gravel. That needs to be corrected.
“We are the only province whose border link road is still in this state. We have to
improve the road. I am happy His Excellency President Mnangagwa is also
prioritising the road which is already under rehabilitation.”
About 34km of the road from close to Kamutsenzere to Mukumbura border post is
still gravelled.
He, however, bemoaned the state of the border, which he said was very porous and
need to be secured.
Minister Magomo was, however, happy that in the same district, the company
working on tarring the Nyakasikana – Karanda Mission Hospital Road was almost
through with its assignment.
By Friday they were left with around 3kms to reach the mission hospital.
The Minister, upon assuming office last month, said he would work tirelessly to see
that the road network across the province was in its best state in order to avoid
accidents and necesssitate the easy of doing business.
He invited provincial residents to his office for sharing ideas on development.

Minister Magomo said he is ready to welcome anyone to his office with plans to build
and develop the province.
The Minister is on a province-wide familiarisation tour, under which he is visiting
councils to appreciate their plans, suggestions and hear about their concerns.
He is also visiting Government priority projects in these districts.