The Brick by Brick magazine mainly focuses on national projects that are already bearing fruit on the ground. We don’t write about ideas that are still on paper. Neither do we write about plans that are still in the oven. However, there comes a time to depart from the norm, to test the waters and later hold officials accountable.
On 14 November 2022, the Brick by Brick magazine team was taken to Manama Village, Ward 17 in Matabeleland South, the proposed site of a Centre of Excellence. When we got there, we were taken aback by the fact that there wasn’t much happening on the ground.
It was already mid-November, yet Hatitye Muchemwa Mario, the provincial livestock officer for Matabeleland South, vowed that by end of December 2022 the Centre of Excellence would be up and running. Naturally, our ever-alert Editor-in-Chief Munyaradzi Huni was sceptical about the December deadline, but he decided to give Matabeleland South the benefit of the doubt.
The Brick by Brick team will be making a follow-up visit in the new year. It is our hope that the Manama Centre of Excellence will not turn out to be a Centre of Despair.
Villagers in Ward 17, Manama, Matabeleland South, were pleasantly surprised when, at the beginning of September 2022, they woke up to the news that government was going to set up a Centre of Excellence in the ward. There was excitement that, indeed, government was walking the talk in “leaving no one and no place behind”, in its efforts to uplift marginalised communities in remote parts of the country.
Recalls Lusanda Mabhena, a youth, who was there when the provincial top brass arrived: “We had heard about the idea of setting up the Centre of Excellence here. One day I saw cars parked here, which aroused my curiosity. It was then that I learnt that our village had been identified as one of the places earmarked for the Centre of Excellence.
“I called my friends, Methembe Magaya and Mekia Sibanda. We were given the responsibility to clear the land and put up a fence to protect the area. We decided to take the lead in the project because when it was first mooted, some youths laughed it off as a pipedream. My friends and I grabbed the opportunity because we believe this project will change our lives,” said Mabhena.
He added: “When I saw your car, I rushed here thinking that the provincial officials had brought the equipment to kick-start the project. We really can’t wait.”
The youths in Manama village have every reason to be over the moon. Centres of excellence are fast becoming the in-thing all over the world. Basically, centres of excellence are facilities that provide leadership, best practices, research, support and training for specific areas. The Second Republic is on a sustained drive to establish centres of excellence in remote parts of the country. Villagers in Matabeleland South are already familiar with centres of excellence as a consortium of non-governmental organisations operating as the Zimbabwe Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Services (ZAKIS) last year set up such a centre at Matopos Research Institute. The centre has now become a hub for the purposes of demonstrating and triggering excellence in modern agriculture and extension services.
In Matobo, villagers are smiling all the way to the bank after venturing into a highly successful goat breeding project under the Matobo Agricultural Centre of Excellence. The project was introduced by ZAKIS, Agritex and veterinary services in May 2021. The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement is fully behind the setting up of these centres of excellence.
Speaking to the Brick by Brick magazine about the Centre of Excellence at Manama, Muchemwa was upbeat. “The proposed Manama Centre of Excellence is on a five-hectare piece of land where we have cattle and goat diptanks. We will also have a poultry project and a piped water scheme from a solar-powered borehole that has already been drilled. The borehole will also supply water to the local community. We are There is also going to be an internet centre for youths in addition to a citrus garden and administration offices.
“Community development is the driving force behind the establishment of the Centre of Excellence. Members of the community will come here and about livestock keeping, notably goats and chickens. We will also train members of the community in horticulture and fodder production. We want our farmers to learn good agricultural practices at this centre. Even though the centre will be open to all members from the local community, priority will be given to the youths.
“The project will target youths from a radius of about 10-15 km and will include adjacent wards like Wards 14, 16, 19 and 20. The community has, since September, been clearing the land for the garden and fowl run.
“The proposed Centre of Excellence is the brainchild of the Second Republic. The government wants to show that as the country develops, no one and no place will be left behind. We want our local youths to participate in the development of their community as well as their country.
“We expect this Centre of Excellence to be operational by the end of December 2022. We are going to accelerate the establishment of the garden and the fowl run. This project is going to be fully funded by government and I know the funds are already there. Once the clearing of the land is done, we will hit the ground running. The land has already been pegged and designs for the garden and fowl run are already in place,” said livestock officer Muchemwa.
When the Brick by Brick team asked him whether the December 2022 was within reach, there was no doubt whatsoever in Muchemwa’s mind. “This project has already been handed over to a contractor, who was given three months to deliver,” he said. When asked why the contractor was not yet on-site, all Muchemwa would say was: “Maybe there are some financial issues. I will have to check.”
Worrying red flags!
Despite the obvious delays, Muchemwa said the community was eagerly waiting for the project.
“I can assure you that we will not disappoint the people. The Second Republic is not joking when it says no one and no place will be left behind in terms of development,” said Muchemwa, as he proceeded to outline some of the problems faced by the youths. These included unemployment, which forced school-leavers to migrate to neighbouring South Africa.
“There is a lot of unemployment in the area. This is a rural area and so finding jobs is a big challenge. We are really excited that even if the project is not going to create so many jobs, it will empower us to start our own projects. The youths here are very eager to learn and they can’t wait for this centre to start operating. We want the exposure because that is one thing that is lacking in this community. This is why the idea of an internet centre is appealing to the youths here.
“In a nutshell, we are saying, if we can provide the youths with an opportunity to venture into agriculture, then we can put a stop to this south-bound migration. We want the youths to develop their home area. We want to empower them so that they stop taking drugs. We want to give the youths hope and skills so that they can start their own income-generating projects,” says Muchemwa.
“This project will be community-driven. A committee has already been set up to run the project. I wish to emphasise that this is not an entirely new project in Matabeleland South. There is already a similar project at Makorokoro in Mangwe District, which we are trying to replicate here.
Echoing the livestock officer, Mabhena said youths in the community remained hopeful that the project would be completed soon.
“Until now, I was unemployed and so all my eyes are on this project. I was running a small poultry business, but it collapsed due to my lack of capital and business know-how.
“It is my fervent hope that the people tasked with spearhead this project on behalf of the Second Republic will not disappoint us. Expectations are very high and if they fail to deliver, they will give the Second Republic a bad name. Even though the project is yet to start, I want to thank President Mnangagwa on behalf of the people in this community. We are grateful that the President is not only a listening President but a President who remembers all his people. I hope President Mnangagwa will get to hear my gratitude,” said Mabhena.
The Brick by Brick magazine team will be back soon to assess the situation on the ground. The time for sweeping unfulfilled promises under the carpet is over. We are one of the eyes of the Second Republic. See you soon Matabeleland South!
