For years, Tinashe Tembo, 37, never imagined that his impoverished village in Chirorwe, rural Bikita, Masvingo Province, would connect to Zimbabwe’s national power grid. The recent installation of a 13-kilometer power line, funded by the Rural Electrification Fund under an accelerated program, has transformed his life and that of his neighbors in Chirorwe, Kudadisa, and Mutsinze.
Tembo’s brother, residing in neighboring South Africa, had sent him a secondhand welding machine five years ago. It lay unused until now due to the absence of electricity. “My brother gave me this welding machine, but it was useless without power,” said Tembo, a father of three who earns a living selling sugarcane. “Now, I can start a welding business right here. My neighbors no longer need to travel to Nyika for such services.”
Several public institutions, including schools and clinics, are now electrified, heralding new opportunities and conveniences. Casiano Mupamaonde, a teacher at Chirorwe Primary School, expressed relief at the development. “This will improve teacher retention. Previously, our lack of power drove teachers to seek positions at better-equipped schools,” he said. The school now anticipates introducing computer-based learning, which was previously impossible.
The electrification is also a deterrent to wildlife conflicts, as Chief Mukangamwi explained: “This area is plagued by hyenas that thrive in the dark. Now, with the lights from the electricity, we can keep them at bay.”
At the switching-on ceremony at Chirorwe Primary School, Deputy Minister of Energy and Power Development, Yeukai Simbanegavi, highlighted the critical role of energy in driving industrialization and economic development. “Without electricity, our ambitions for agriculture, mining, tourism, and commerce cannot be fully realized,” she stated. Simbanegavi pointed out that while urban areas have benefited from power, rural zones have historically lagged.
Willard Chiwewe, chairperson of the Rural Electrification Fund, through a statement read by board member Fungai Mbetsa, emphasized the impact on education and community comfort. “With electricity, our students can now take science and computer studies, competing with their urban counterparts,” Chiwewe noted.
Since its inception in 2002, the REF has electrified over 10,473 rural institutions including schools, clinics, and business centers. Chiwewe acknowledged the progress but recognized the ongoing needs of rural households.
For villagers like Tembo, the power line is more than infrastructure; it’s a lifeline to economic opportunity and a brighter future.
Source: Newsday
