Source: ZETDC connects 80pc of Binga town – herald
Rutendo Nyeve rutendo.nyeve@sundaynews.co.zw
THE Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has connected electricity to 80 percent of Binga town as of this month in a monumental stride towards universal energy access.
The progress is in line with President Mnangagwa’s leaving no-one and no place behind philosophy that is closing development gaps in previously marginalised communities and it marks a meteoric rise from a mere 10 percent recorded in August last year, ending over two decades of darkness for several suburbs.
For residents of Syalembembe, Masoja and Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle, the installation of electricity transformers has become the soundtrack of a new dawn.
These areas, which had gone without power since their inception are now connected to the national grid, bringing a number of socio-economic benefits.
The development, confirmed by ZESA Holdings’ Stakeholder Relations department, is a key pillar of the National
Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which ambitiously seeks to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030.
“The reticulation of Binga town. We are almost 80 percent now from 10 percent in August last year. This perfectly displays the energy compact spirit of universal access,” said the utility.
“The famous Lusulu line that had been down for the past 11 years is now under resuscitation with works such as wayleave clearance and hole digging already complete. We are now moving to pole planting. The Siabuwa line which has also been down for almost 11 years has been energised,” said the power utility.
The local community has not been a passive beneficiary but an active partner in the project. Through the Customer Materials Supply Scheme, residents contributed resources, fostering a sense of ownership over the infrastructure that now lights their homes.
Binga North Member of the National Assembly Cde Muchimba Chineka praised the intervention as a direct answer to decades of neglect, emphasising that the project transcends mere illumination.
“This will help mitigate human-wildlife conflict particularly at night, enhance education as this will give our children ample time to study,” said Cde Chineka.
“We want to thank our Government particularly the Second Republic because Binga was last reticulated decades ago.
I would also like to commend residents for uniting in the Customer Materials Supply Scheme to also support the works. We want to thank President Mnangagwa for not leaving us behind.
“You would recall that we got a town status recently and this will go a long way in developing this town. More than 2 000 houses had no access to electricity.”
Binga Rural District Council (RDC) chairperson Councillor Joseph Mwembe described the electrification drive as a seismic shift for the town’s economic trajectory.
“This is a game changer, which will transform Binga Town,” said Clr Mwembe.
“From small-scale enterprises to healthcare delivery, the impact is immediate and profound.”
The Second Republic’s hand in Binga’s upliftment extends well beyond the power lines. Since coming into office, President Mnangagwa’s administration has spearheaded multiple development projects including the upgrading of key road networks to open up the remote district, the drilling of solar-powered boreholes to alleviate water challenges, and the recent elevation of Binga to town status, a move designed to attract investment and accelerate urban planning.
These efforts underscore the Second Republic’s mantra of leaving no community behind as Zimbabwe marches towards an empowered upper-middle-income society by 2030.
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