Zimbabwe engineers play active role in implementation of NDS1

Judith Phiri, Business Reporter 

THE Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers (ZIE) is carrying out capacity building programmes for its membership across all sectors to ensure that they take a leading role in the development and advancement of engineering infrastructure in the country. 

ZIE is a society of engineering professionals mandated to act in an advisory capacity to Government, industry and educational institutions to promote and maintain appropriate standards of engineering competence. 

In an interview, ZIE president Engineer Thami Mpala said they were carrying out capacity building programmes and lobbying Government so that its membership could take an active role in the National Development Strategy (NDS1). 

“There has been no other time as opportune as this for engineers to take the lead and realise the objectives and benefits of the NDS1. This is a five-year medium-term plan that builds momentum towards realisation of the country’s vision of creating an upper middle-income economy by 2030. As ZIE we are carrying out capacity building trainings and lobbying Government so that our membership can positively contribute to infrastructure development in the country,” said Eng  Mpala. 

He said according to their database in total there are 10 000 Zimbabwean engineers of which 4 000 were based locally while the rest were operating in other parts of the world, noting that they now had to work towards harnessing this vast knowledge pool.

Eng Mpala said engineering has played a critical role in increasing the health and quality of life before the Covid-19 pandemic, but noted that they now had to work on other challenges like creating better water supply systems, municipal sewer networks and wastewater treatment plants. 

“Engineering can create safer and health-standard compliant buildings, improved agriculture with new food and precision mechanisation, transportation systems, green energy infrastructure and modernised ICT services and products for future needs and a sustainable economy. There is a need for a workable, efficient and holistically-crafted structure that will endeavour to achieve and make realisation of the objectives and milestones of the NDS1.” 

He said Zimbabwe has since the coming in of the New Dispensation done well to place Government’s focus on infrastructure development and the great strides have been made so far. Eng Mpala said this was evident by the number of ongoing large infrastructure projects being constructed across the country. 

Eng Mpala said engineers must assume an advisory role to Government as enshrined in the ZIE and Engineering Council of Zimbabwe (ECZ) Acts. He said this proposal could be set up as a special taskforce or special implementing NDS1 technical committee so that the objectives of Vision 2030 are met inclusively. The operations and membership of ZIE are regulated by a Private Act of Parliament, and in turn regulated by the ECZ through the Engineering Council Act (Chapter 27:22).