The Sunday News
Lincoln Towindo, Harare Bureau
GOVERNMENT has resolved to expeditiously fulfil resolutions made during a meeting between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and civic organisations under the umbrella of Matabeleland Collective in Bulawayo in April.
Already, the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (MZWP) — which is expected to draw water from the Zambezi River to parched parts of the Matabeleland provinces, including Bulawayo — has since been handed over to the grouping.
Plans are also underway to fast-track the issuance of national identity documents and death certificates to victims of civil disturbances that took place in the early 1980s. President Mnangagwa believes that the country should confront its ugly past as a way to foster the social cohesion needed to build a prosperous future.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs permanent secretary Mrs Virginia Mabhiza told our Harare Bureau that a lot of ground has been covered in fulfilling Government’s undertakings.
“We came up with the implementation matrix, which was dispatched to all relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development; Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing; Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement; the Ministry of Home Affairs; and the (Zimbabwe) Anti-Corruption Commission. The ministries were also linked with the Matabeleland Collective for implementation of the resolutions,” she said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs is reportedly in the process of identifying communities in need of national identity documents. An anti-corruption unit has also been dispatched to some rural district councils (RDCs) to investigate alleged cases of corruption.
Ms Jennifer Williams, the director of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (Woza) — an affiliate of Matabeleland Collective — said there has been a lot of movement behind the scenes.
“We had asked for the extension of the NPRC (National Peace and Reconciliation Commission) lifespan and we also had asked that there be more attention paid to resourcing it. We are happy to see that the NPRC is moving around communities and forming structures,” said Ms Williams.
The grouping of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and churches based in Bulawayo, she also said, had been formally advised that MZWP would be handed over to the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Trust.
Government took over the MZWP from the then Dr Dumiso Dabengwa-led MZWT in 2012 in line with a Cabinet decision made in 2004.
However, since then there has been worrying inertia in implementing the ambitious project. But there is now hope for institutional and funding arrangements designed to get the project back on track.
Added Ms Williams: “The other issue was that of corruption at rural district councils that was raised by our members and we believe those are being followed up.”
Matabeleland Collective recently attended the launch of the Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) at the invitation of the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.
“Minister (Sekai) Nzenza has been really back and forth engaging us and we hope for that continued engagement with Government.”
Government is also facilitating the exhumation and reburial of victims of the post independence disturbances, while medical assistance for those injured during the civil disturbances would be provided. Other restorative justice measures will also be rolled out.
