Hwange in concerted efforts to unite businesses and locals
Sibongile Dube
The Hwange District Development Coordinator’s Office has moved to bridge the gap between enterprises and locals following complaints of sabotage from locals.
In its efforts to foster harmony, the district coordinator’s office has set up the Hwange District Socio-economic Development Stakeholders Initiative(HDSDSI) which seeks to create an all inclusive engagement forum for all stakeholders.
Communities in Hwange have previously raised concern over the disparity between economic activities in the district and local community development.
Hwange development economist, Tilton Jamera said the initiative is an opportunity to unite economic enablers,drivers, and the locals.
“The economic enablers are the businesses, companies or organizations that have the capacity to utilize the natural, human, social and economic resources found in the district commercially ,while the economic drivers are the local micro, small and medium enterprises, the informal sector and cooperatives, government and non-governmental institutions, ” he explained.
The locally driven initiative dovetails the government’s Vision 2030: ‘Towards a Prosperous and Empowered Upper Middle Income Society with Job Opportunities and a High Quality of Life for its Citizens’
Jamera said the initiative is a result of various efforts by community development players, political players, business associations and government departments in the district who have continued to seek the intervention of the Hwange District Development Coordinator’s office with their various visions and aspirations to develop Hwange. He added; “The main objective is to create a collaborative engagement forum of all socio-economic development enablers, players, affected communities and beneficiaries for the mutual common vision of the Hwange socio-economic development agenda.
“We also want to share availed opportunities arising within the district with indigenous SMEs and the community at large through establishment of a social network platform, weekly bulletin, website or notice board posts so that the locals are seen to be deliberately benefiting from those opportunities…lobby on behalf of local companies or SMEs to access identified opportunities in the district and also to capture and address economic situations that generally affect most economic groups in the community,” said Jamera.
Hwange district is a hub of coal fields which contribute immensely to the country’s economy yet local communities have nothing to show for it.
The devolution policy provided in Chapter 14 of the Constitution guarantees participation of local communities in the determination of development priorities within their areas, equitable distribution of resources and ensuring locals benefit directly from all the economic activity happening in their own vicinity as well as from resources explored in their own community.
The initiative has taken off a year after a buy in from Captains of industry in the district. An 8 member committee representing community economic groups has already been seconded to represent women, youths, SMEs, veterans of the liberation struggle, the elderly, rural community and urban residents.
