The ManicaPost
Business Reporter
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has donated 10 trucks worth US$810 000 to the Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company (ZETDC) to enhance disaster preparedness and facilitate timeous response to incidents in Manicaland Province.
The vehicles which were procured through the AfDB funded post Cyclone Idai Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project for Zimbabwe was handed over to Local Government and Public Works Minister, Dr July Moyo, by the bank’s country manager, Ms Moono Mupotola, at a function held in Harare on Tuesday.
The donation comes barely two months after AfDB donated vehicles, Information, Communication and Technology equipment, tents and tools to Government as part of contributions towards the Cyclone Idai recovery programme.
In line with the principle of ‘Building Back Better’, the country has witnessed the resuscitation and reconstruction of Chimanimani and Chipinge which were badly affected by the devastating Cyclone Idai of March 2019.
To date, the Cyclone Idai Runyararo Housing Project at West End Farm in Chimanimani has seen the construction of 120 housing units.
All the completed houses were allocated to beneficiaries and each family was allocated 6000 square-metre stands for various economic activities.
Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, Minister Moyo said with support from development partners, Government has stepped up preparedness for any disasters during the 2021/22 rainy season which has been predicted to be characterised by normal to above normal rainfall.
“The 2021/22 rainfall season is now upon us and this requires us to heighten our preparedness planning efforts in order to mitigate the impacts of disasters. Government with support from partners has stepped up on preparedness and to this end, a national contingency plan for the 2021 to 2022 rainfall season is now in place.
“We are humbled to be receiving this donation of eight crane trucks and two NP200 pick-up trucks which will go a long way to capacitate ZETDC to improve electricity supply in Manicaland as well as facilitate timeous response to incidents.
Government remains indebted to you and our development partners for your efforts towards recovery and resilience building. It is only through concerted efforts that we will be able to realise an empowered upper middle income economy by 2030,” said Minister Moyo.
Ms Mupotola said AfDB is working together with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) on sustainable social economic infrastructure programmes in Chimanimani and Chipinge.
“We are working with our implementation partners, UNOPS, in infrastructure rehabilitation, water and sanitation programmes in Chimanimani and Chipinge. In Gaza township in Chipinge Town, 2 000 houses had septic tanks installed, while work on the refurbishment of the Machongwe-Rusitu road is already in progress.
“We are also complementing Government’s efforts through ZETDC to bring convenience to the people of Zimbabwe by having safe and reliable electricity supply. If disaster strikes, ZETDC is now adequately equipped to respond and restore electricity,” said Ms Mupotola.
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority executive chairman, Dr Sydney Gata said: “We want to celebrate the spirit which AfDB, Government and other stakeholders has exhibited in restoring our normal operations in Chimanimani and Chipinge. So far US$5, 3 million worth of aid has been availed to the two districts. By this donation of vehicles, we are ready to expeditiously respond to faults.”
