The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
CHINA has donated 500 boreholes that will go a long way in enhancing access to safe and clean water to reduce morbidity and mortality from preventable diarrheal disease in remote parts of Manicaland and two other provinces.
The boreholes were drilled in villages, clinics and schools that had no access to safe drinking water, and as a result will simultaneously increase horticultural productivity, increase school and work attendance, improve learning outcomes, accelerate rural development and reduce health costs.
The borehole were handed over to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka, at Clare Secondary School in Odzi.
Charge de Affaires China Embassy, Mr Cheng Yen said 200 boreholes were drilled in Manicaland, with Masvingo and Matabeleland South getting 150 each.
China also pledged to drill 300 more boreholes.
“There is a saying that water is life. In order to contribute and address to the challenges of accessibility to safe water in remotes areas of Zimbabwe, China implemented the 500-borehole drilling project in Manicaland, Matabeleland South and Masvingo.
“China’s assistance to Zimbabwe always focuses on development and people’s livelihoods. We believe that the right to development is one of the most basic human rights. Democracy and human rights are only empty words without achieving economy and people’s better lives,” said Mr Yen.
He said China does not attach political conditions to its assistance, and challenged the western countries led by America and Britain to remove sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
“The grants and financial support by China always follow the principles of openness and transparency.
China never imposes its ideology on Zimbabwe or meddles in her internal affairs in the name of assistance.
“We firmly oppose any illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe under the pretexts of the so-called democracy, freedom or human rights. China urges western countries to immediately lift all the illegal sanctions. The assistance and cooperation from friendly countries, including China, are powerful weapons and solid shields of Zimbabwe to resist the illegal sanctions. Any other country before criticising the China-Zimbabwe cooperation should take action first to build roads, power plants, water supplies, factories, hospitals and schools in the country. Otherwise they are in no position to point fingers at our cooperation,” he said.
Mr Yen said China will assist Zimbabwe to achieve Vision 2030 under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative, in nine programmes of FOCAC, bilateral cooperation, agriculture and rural development support.
“China actively supports Zimbabwe’s development and provides effective assistance to enhance its self-driven development capacity. Our assistance focuses on infrastructure development and manufacturing-related sectors so as to meet the country’s real and urgent needs,” he said.
Prominent projects spearheaded by China under the Second Republic include the New Parliament Building, National Pharmaceutical Warehouse, expansions of Kariba South Hydro and Hwange Thermal Power Stations, upgrading of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe and Victoria Falls International airports as well as the NetOne broadband construction.
China also provided 21 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines.
Dr Masuka describe China’s gesture as a milestone in the water sector’s drive to achieve universal access to clean and safe water.
