Eighth Post Cabinet Press Briefing : Tuesday 4 April 2023

1.0  2023 Independence Anniversary Celebrations & Children’s Party

Cabinet received an update on the status of preparations for the 2023 Independence Anniversary and Children’s Party Celebrations, as presented by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Hon J.G. Moyo, Chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on State Occasions and National Monuments.

Cabinet wishes to inform the nation that the Independence Celebrations will be held on the 18^th of April, 2023 at Mount Darwin High School  in Mashonaland Central Province and will be running under the theme: Zim@43: Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo /Ilizwe Lakhiwa Ngabanikazi Balo.

In line with Government’s devolution and decentralisation thrust, the 2023 Children’s Party Celebrations will be held at Pfura Stadium, Mount Darwin Centre on the 17^th April, 2023, while the 2023 Independence Anniversary Celebrations will be held on 18^th April, 2023 at Mount Darwin High School, Mount Darwin Centre. Learners are being mobilised from all Provinces for the Children’s Party as well as providing entertainment and mass displays.  An additional four hundred children will be drawn from the districts in the hosting province, bringing the total to 1 500 children.  The Musical bands for the Children’s Party will be as follows: Freeman; Voltz-Kosilati Sibaya; and Leo Magozz. The Programme will start at 0900hrs and end at 1600hrs.  His Excellency the President will lead in the planting of at least 43 trees on the 17^th of April at the Independence Celebrations venue to mark 43 years of Independence. An assortment of fruit trees will be planted at the Mount Darwin High School orchard.

The Official Independence Day Programme will start at 0600hrs and end at 1430hrs. Around 45 000 people are expected to attend the Celebrations. Alick Macheso and Paradzai Messi will provide entertainment for the main Independence Celebrations.  They will be complemented by a Cultural act of 100 Artists who will synchronize with the 500 school children doing gymnastics, and supported by the Zimbabwe Republic  Police band.   In the afternoon there will be a match between Dynamos and Highlanders for the Independence Trophy at Mount Darwin High School, with His Excellency the President as the Guest of Honour. In the evening, there will be a musical gala, and several artists are billed to perform. The venue for the gala is Pfura Stadium.

The Independence Flame will be lit on the 13^th April, 2023 at Harare Kopje, and a road show will start from there and pass through Mazowe, Concession, Glendale, Bindura, Madziva, Dotito, Rushinga, Chibondo National Monuments, Mount Darwin District Heroes Acre, and finally land at the Independence Celebrations venue.  The Flame will be received at Chibondo National Monuments by Traditional Chiefs in Mashonaland Central, at a ceremony on 17^th April, 2023.  Cde K.C.D. Mohadi and Cde K. Kazembe will grace the occasion.  Cde Mohadi will then lead the lighting ceremony at Chibondo National Monument and the entourage to Mount Darwin District Heroes Acre.  On the 18^th April, 2023 athletes will carry the flame from Mount Darwin District Heroes Acre to Mount Darwin High School, the venue of the Independence Celebrations. Furthermore, an exhibition will be mounted at Chibondo National Monument to highlight the roles played by the masses and combatants in the Second Chimurenga War. Those in the surrounding areas are expected to attend the Exhibition in numbers.

Pertaining to roadworks being undertaken as part of the preparations, there are three contractors for the Harare-Bindura-Mount Darwin Road.  The companies are on the ground and works are progressing well.  CMED has  been engaged to undertake works on the 1.8 km access road.  The Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), formerly DDF, will undertake works on the following feeder roads:  Darwin-Nyakasikana- Karanda, 30km; Nyakasikana-Mutondwe, 18km; Darwin-Tsakare, 42km; Chahwanda-Mudzengerere, 24km; Kaziro Road, 38km and Chahwanda- Chironga, 30km.

On water supply at the venue, the nation is being informed that ZINWA has provided a temporary water point on site, and has currently provided water tanks for provision of potable water.  RIDA in conjunction with ZINWA has drilled a borehole close to the site. ZESA has installed a transformer and a 2*feeder pillar on site. On Independence Day, a standby generator will be provided. Furthermore, load shedding has been suspended in Mount Darwin until after the Celebrations.

Those residing outside Mount Darwin should not despair as the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services will broadcast live all the four major events, namely: the Children’s Party; the Independence Day Celebrations; the march between Dynamos and Highlanders; and the Gala. The Ministry will provide T-shirts and caps for the 1 500 children and also brand thirty ZUPCO buses with the various messages which will be drawn from the theme.  The Ministry has also embarked on  an information campaign through print media, Television, radio as well as billboards to give publicity to the Independence Celebrations.

Cabinet highlights that the delegates attending the Celebrations will be encouraged to wear the national fabric.  The nation is advised that there are  outlets in major cities and towns which sell the national fabric including in Harare and Bindura.  Plans are  underway to set up an outlet in Mount Darwin.  There will be an exhibition in Mount Darwin starting on  16^th April, 2023 whereby designers will market the national fabric. 

Regarding transportation for delegates, Cabinet is informing the nation that the host Province of Mashonaland Central has been allocated one hundred ZUPCO buses to ferry delegates to the venue. The other provinces have also been allocated some buses to transport delegates to the venue. Funds and buses have also been allocated to enable all the other provinces and districts to hold celebrations at their respective venues.

Zimbabwe’s Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Report On The Procurement & Roll-Out Of Vaccines

Cabinet received an update on the Country‘s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and a Report on the Procurement and Roll-Out of Vaccines, as presented by the Chairman of the Ministers’ Committee on the National COVID-19 Response, Honourable Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care, Gen. (Retd.) Dr. C.G.D.N. Chiwenga.

The nation is being informed that one death was recorded during the week under review.  There were three new admissions, compared to the ten recorded the previous week, with no admissions in Intensive Care.  This shows that we are not yet out of the woods

Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution and their Teams should intensify vaccination programmes in their provinces.  Communities are also being urged to remain vigilant, prioritize getting vaccinated and continue to protect themselves by adhering to all recommended COVID-19 Public Health and Social Measures.

3.0   Reports On The 100-Day Cycle Of 2023

Cabinet received reports on progress made in the implementation of priority projects for the 1^st 100-Day Cycle of 2023, as presented by the Ministers of Industry and Commerce; Finance and Economic Development; Transport and Infrastructural Development; and Energy and Power Development.

1. The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Honourable Dr. Sekai Nzenza,reported on progress on the projects under her purview as follows:
2. the resuscitation of David Whitehead Textiles in Chegutu has reached 40% of completion, with state-of-the-art spinning and weaving machinery in place. The project will employ up to 1 100 persons when complete;
3.  refurbishment of the tar production plant at Zimchem in Kwekwe has reached 85% of completion;
4. the expansion and modernisation of the Margarine Plant at Olivine Industries in Harare Metropolitan Province is almost ready for commissioning. The local production of margarine will reduce the volume of imports;
5. the installation of a US$5 million Margarine Plant at Willowton in Mutare has reached 85%, and will produce up to 150 tonnes of margarine per day when complete. It will create employment for 50 people;
6. the installation of a US$30 million state-of-the-art Bakery Plant in Bulawayo by Bakers Inn is 90% complete. The bakery will be the biggest in Zimbabwe, and will be producing 200 000 loaves per day; and
7. the plant at Buffalo Brewing Company in Stapleford in Mashonaland West Province is functional, and His Excellency the President will soon commission the US$11 million plant.

• The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Honourable Prof. Mthuli Ncube, highlighted that:

• Z$618 billion in tax revenue was raised during the months of January and February 2023;
• a total of Z$15 billion was disbursed towards social services provision;
• a total of Z$204 billion has been availed for the following projects:
• Hwange Power Station Expansion 7 and 8, Z$3 billion;
• Zambezi River Authority, Z$2.1 billion;
• Harare-Beitbridge Road, Z$18.4 billion, and Z$14.8 billion on other roads;
• Water and Sanitation, Z$25.5 billion;
• ICT, Z$3.8 billion;
• Health, Z$19.5 billion;
• Housing, Z$14.2 billion;
• Education, Z$3.9 billion;
• Irrigation, Z$11.2 billion;
• Strategic Grain Reserve, Z$18.4 billion;
• Capitalisation of State-Owned Enterprises, Z$4.6 billion;
• Devolution, Z$16.8 billion; and
• Other capital items Z$47 billion.
• Government mobilised Z$103.45 billion from the domestic market against the initial target of Z$8.3 billion.

• The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Honourable Felix Mhona, outlined the following progress for projects being implemented in his sector:
• under the Beitbridge Border Post Modernisation project,  landscaping and the cleaning of 120 housing units was completed, and the Department of Roads workshop, offices and houses are at 95% completion;
• the installation of elevators, baggage carousels and escalators on the North and South wing of the International Terminal Building at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport has reached 70% of completion;
• the construction and upgrading of 25 kilometres of a section of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge road to regional standards is above 60% completion, with 3 km opened to traffic;
• the construction of the Mbudzi Interchange has reached 37% of completion; and
• the construction of 10 kilometres on the upgrading project for the Harare-Kanyemba road has reached 38%.

• The Minister of Energy and Power Development, Honourable Zhemu Soda,reported on progress recorded on the projects under his purview as follows:

• 100% synchronisation of Unit 7 under the Hwange Power Station 7 and 8 Expansion project in Matabeleland North Province has been achieved. Unit 7 is already adding 300 MW to the national grid;
• the rehabilitation of the Alaska-Karoi (132kv) Power Transmission Project in Mashonaland West Province has reached 40% completion;
• bush clearing of the wayleave and surveying on 9.2 km of the 33kv transmission line to supply Mashuma Primary and Secondary Schools and Mashuma Business Centre in Hurungwe District  in Mashonaland West Province was completed;
• construction of the Great Zimbabwe 5MW Mini Hydro-Power Plant in Masvingo Province is in progress; and
• construction of the Centragrid Solar Power Plant (23MW) in Nyabira, in Mashonaland West Province is also underway.

4.0   State Of Preparedness For The 2023 Cereal Production Season

Cabinet received and approved the Report on the State of Preparedness for the 2023 Cereal Production Season programme, which was presented by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Hon. Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka.

The nation is being informed that the target for the 2023 winter wheat production is 85 000 hectares, compared to the 80 388 hectares planted in 2022. Out of the 85 000 ha for 2023, 65% will be supported through Government-guaranteed schemes, and 35% by the private sector. Government-guaranteed schemes are: the CBZ Agro-Yield Programme; the AFC Land Bank; and the Presidential Input Scheme, while the Food Crop Contractors Association (FCCA) will constitute the private sector funding which will be complemented by some self-financing farmers. The projected production from the area that will be planted under wheat is 408 000 metric tonnes, based on the actual yield volume of 4.8 mt/ha which was achieved in 2022. The Food Crop Contractors Association will support the production of 7 700 ha of barley, and expects to realise 50 050 mt at a yield of 6.5 mt per hectare.

Cabinet is pleased to inform the nation that during the 2022 Winter Cereal Production Season, Zimbabwe together with Ethiopia were the only countries in Africa that attained self-sufficiency in wheat, with 375 131 metric tonnes (mt) being produced, against a national requirement of 360 000 mt.

The nation is assured that the country has enough seed and basal fertiliser for the 2023 Winter Cereal Production season. For the top dressing component that is in short supply, Government has put in place enabling legislation to facilitate the importation of duty-free top dressing fertilisers by local companies thereby ensuring adequate supplies.

Regarding electricity and water supply, the nation is informed that power supplies have been ring-fenced for the benefit of wheat production. The national dam levels are at 93.5%, thereby guaranteeing water availability. An Agriculture-Energy Task Force will ensure availability of these critical enablers ahead of the winter cropping season.  

Government has put in place a number of measures in order for farmers to quickly transition from summer to winter. Those farmers requiring harvesting and tillage equipment can approach the AFC Land Bank, while those in need of driers should visit the GMB depots.  GMB has 20 mobile grain driers with a capacity of 840 mt per day that can be accessed by farmers.  The private sector also has drying facilities for up to 100 mt per day. The wheat planting period covers the months of April and May. Accordingly, wheat farmers are encouraged to plant early and use high-yield varieties in order to maximise on productivity.

5.0 Report On The Implementation Of Phase II Of The Enhanced Emergency Preparedness & Disaster Management Programme

The Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care, Honourable Retired General Dr. C.G.D.N. Chiwenga, as Chairman of the Enhanced Cabinet Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management (ECEPDM), presented the Report on the Implementation of Phase II of the Enhanced Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management. Cabinet adopted the Report.

Cabinet wishes to inform the public that construction work on 4 Government funded blocks of flats at Dzivarasekwa in Harare Metropolitan Province is expected to be completed by 30 June, 2023.  Thirty-seven (37) housing units are being constructed for flood victims in Nsungwale, Binga District in Matebeleland North Province, while 13 households affected by the flooding of Marimba River in Budiriro 5B Extension in Harare Metropolitan Province were moved to Budiriro Training Centre. Government, through the Department of Civil Protection and Social Welfare is providing food and managing the camp. In Masvingo Province, Runyararo West faces a similar predicament, with 25 properties being susceptible to flooding every rainfall season. A total of 6 households from Runyararo West in Masvingo City were moved to the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) Training Centre. Cabinet has directed the Environmental Management Agency to enforce the relevant existing legislation and the imposition of stiffer penalties on those Local Authorities who continue to allocate residential stands on wetlands.

Regarding the Mapping of Settlements against Approved Layout Plans, the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA) has completed its mapping assignment for settlements in Harare Metropolitan Province, Cowdray Park in Bulawayo, Gimboki in Mutare, and in Karoi.  ZINGSA has acquired high precision equipment which could be used to solve most of the surveying challenges being faced in the country, and Cabinet has directed that the regularisation of the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA) as a survey institute be completed speedily in order to facilitate the issuance of title deeds to deserving beneficiaries.

Cabinet is further concerned by the poor street lighting in urban areas.  It has therefore directed that Local Authorities take the necessary measures to ensure that all street lights are functional, and that visibility of signage is enhanced.   Furthermore,the ERRP 2 Programme will be exhibited at the 2023 Edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).

On the Wetlands Management Programme, Cabinet reports that Zimbabwe has declared Victoria Falls in Matabeleland North, Driefontein Grasslands in Midlands Province; Middle Zambezi / Mana Pools and Lake Chivero in Mashonaland West; Monavale Vlei and Cleveland Dam in Harare; and the Chinhoyi Caves, as wetland sites under the Ramsar Convention. Accordingly, the country has befittingly been considered for hosting the Conference of Parties (COP15) in 2025. The wetlands reclamation exercise successfully rehabilitated 3 wetland areas at Njovo in Masvingo Districtin Masvingo Province; Nyamhara in Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe District in Mashonaland East; and Ndabambi in Gweru District in Midlands Province.

On Housing Co-operatives and provision of workspaces for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Cabinet has directed that discipline be enforced and maintained in the co-operatives sector; that a proper financing model be availed for the sector; and that the abundant opportunities for standardized infrastructure and business development in the co-operative sector be fully exploited. A forensic audit of the unions will be conducted, followed by elections for new leadership, and penalties will be introduced for non-adherence to the Co-operative Societies Act.

Pertaining to the prosecution of Land and Space Barons, Cabinet wishes to inform the nation that there has been progress on new cases of land barons arrested under criminal abuse of duty and fraud, with a cumulative 31 arrests. These are high profile cases being handled by the Criminal Investigations Department in Harare, while low profile cases are being dealt with at police stations countrywide. The Zimbabwe Republic Police has received a total of 426 cases, and so far 10 convictions have been secured since the operation commenced. The names of land barons will be published as part of a naming and shaming exercise.   

6.0 Launch Of The Zimbabwe Anti-Trafficking In Persons National Plan Of Action

The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Hon. Kazembe Kazembe briefed Cabinet on the launch of the Zimbabwe Anti-Trafficking in Persons National Plan of Action for 2023 to 2028. The National Plan of Action will be launched on 5 April, 2023 at the Harare International Conference Centre by the Hon. Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care, Gen. (Retd.) Dr. C.G.D.N. Chiwenga. The event starts at 0900 hours. An awareness march will commence from Compensation House.

As the nation may recall, Cabinet approved the National Plan of Action in 2022 in line with Section 9(3) of the Trafficking in Persons Act. The Plan will guide Zimbabwe in fighting human trafficking in accordance with national, regional and international obligations.     

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