The Provincial Governor, Resident Minister and Provincial, Cde Ray Kaukonde;
The Deputy Minister of Rural Housing and Social Amenities, Hon J B Matiza;
Senators and Members of Parliament here present; Members of the various structures of ZANU PF;
The Secretary for Rural Housing and Social Amenities, Cde D C Munyoro;
The Provincial Administrator;
Members of the Provincial Development Committee and Provincial Council;
Heads of Ministries and District Administrators here present; Heads of Development Partners in Mashonaland East; Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of Rural Councils; Councilors and Invited Guests; Comrades and Friends:
It gives me great pleasure to be here with you this afternoon to inaugurate this historic launch of the construction of model homesteads here in Mashonaland East. This development marks the genesis of the formalization and implementation of a pragmatic, realistic, and successful win- win rural housing programme, with due weightage to the aspirations of our people, their needs and requirements, their economic capabilities and capacity to pay, and national interest in our great country.
In the wake of our Housing programme inspired by and based on the ruling party, ZANU PF's principle of PEOPLE FIRST and the guiding philosophy behind it, led by our visionary leader, His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde R G Mugabe to form the Ministry of Rural Housing and Social Amenities with the express mandate of uplifting the quality of life of people in rural areas by provision of rural housing and social amenities infrastructure in communal, Al and A2 resettlement areas.
My Ministry has several declared priorities, objectives and policies, and addressing the acute housing problem is a priority. The major policy thrust of my Ministry is to correct historical imbalances by bridging the gap between the underdeveloped rural sector and the more developed urban centres. This must be understood in the context of the fact that housing and social amenities infrastructure in rural areas have not been developed to the same level as those in urban areas.
Furthermore, as most historians among you would remember, the under developed nature of the rural sector can be traced back to the country's colonial history which regarded the then Tribal Trust lands as reservoirs of cheap labour. In addition, the fragmented rural development strategies pursued by various development agencies in Independent Zimbabwe tended to compromise a coordinated development approach.
My Ministry has begun constructing homesteads, which will be offered to identify traditional leaders and vulnerable families currently living in decrepit and substandard housing. Chief Sigola of Matabeleland South was the first beneficiary of my Ministry's rural housing programme. Today we are at Chief Chinyerere's place, to launch the construction of model homesteads. However, this is not to say that this programme targets only traditional leaders but it is aimed at helping all those in need of housing in rural areas, irrespective of political or party affiliation. We are thus today gathered as willing partners, and together, let us build a really modern and rural housing - happy Zimbabwe, and let us make of this partnership a willing and proactive partnership, which shares a common vision and aims at materializing our target.
To this end, my Ministry is cognizant of the fact that rural housing is an important indicator of social well-being. It is housing which determines the family structure and living, as well as health, sanitary and environment conditions. In this respect, my Ministry's policy provides for an ideal standard homestead comprising of a two or three bed-roomed house with a sitting room, a traditional round kitchen, Blair toilet, granary and a rubbish pit. The traditional round hut is meant to preserve our culture, as you are aware that all marriage deliberations are done in this important hut. However, my Ministry does not restrict itself to the model homestead and people are at liberty to come up with their own designs as long as they enhance sanitation and their overall standard of living.
What you are witnessing today is indicative of big programmes that the Government has conceived in order to uplift the living standards of people in the rural areas. I am particularly pleased by the way the people of Mashonaland East have cooperated and managed all Government programs in the past.
My Ministry has a Rural Housing Fund which has already been approved by Parliament and modalities for its disbursement and cost recovery methods are at an advanced stage of preparation. The process is being done with all diligence to ensure a spirit of transparency and fairness to all thus some conceive it as being slow.
My Ministry has also made significant progress in drafting a new constitution for the Social Amenities Development Fund, which has to be approved by Treasury. This fund will enhance the provision of social amenities infrastructure in rural areas.
I am sure some of you may want to know what actually a social amenity is. My Ministry defines a social amenity as a structure that increases a community's physical well-being or facilitates work. In other words, it is a facility that improves or ensures comfort, convenience and enjoyment to people living together in communities. It is a public good, facility or utility which is pleasant for the whole community with indirect benefits to the individual.
To that end, my Ministry is vigorously constructing and rehabilitating social amenities in order to bring enjoyment and convenience to the people in communal, Al, and A2 areas. They include village dispensaries, clinics, classroom blocks, teachers' houses, crèches, community centers, vendor marts, electricity, sporting facilities, tourist sites and culture houses.
Social amenities like schools ensure our children in the rural areas get a good basic education, to make them trainable for various skilled jobs. Our children must be taught by well-trained teachers, in classrooms with a roof and desks and with books to go around. My Ministry has embarked on refurbishing five schools per district per province.
Before ending, I would like to stress in a spirit of togetherness, the importance for Government of your participation in the housing programme. I trust we shall work together in the construction of houses and social amenities and refurbishment of schools. I should also like to solemnly declare to you my utmost confidence in our country, which is a country of achievers and achievements under the right and enlightened leadership of President Mugabe. I am optimistic that we shall triumph and reach our targeted destination together.
Finally, my Ministry is calling upon other development partners, the private sector, the insurance industry and individuals with the capacity to build their own homestead: to complement Government efforts in erecting approved housing and social amenities infrastructure in rural areas. I am fully aware of the potential and innovative drive of the partners mentioned above and I am confident we can rely on its support to give a boost to the Government's rural housing p rogramme.
It is now my pleasure to officially launch the construction of model homesteads.
I thank you.