Zimbabwe First Lady Needs More Land For Expansion

Republic of Zimbabwe Vice President Joice Mujuru with First Lady Grace Amai Mugabe. The Southern African nation has been in the throws of fighting imperialism., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

First Lady needs more land for expansion

Saturday, 06 October 2012 00:00
Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe Herald

First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe yesterday said she had great plans for her philanthropic projects in Mazowe as she wanted to construct additional infrastructure.

She said in addition to the Children’s Home and a primary school being constructed, she wanted to build teachers’ accommodation, a secondary school, skills training college among other projects in her vision.

The land she was allocated for the Children’s Home was not enough to fulfill her vision and she would soon approach authorities for additional land to realise her dream.

The First Lady said this at Mazowe Children’s Home where Vice President Joice Mujuru and Government Ministers visited the home for them to have an appreciation.

Vice President Mujuru pledged to support the First Lady to realise her dreams, which she said very few people would be able to emulate.

Mashonaland Central Province Governor and Resident Minister Martin Dinha said the First Lady’s request for more land was justified considering the great work she was carrying out.

In her brief to VP Mujuru, the First Lady said one of her plans was to turn the projects from a charitable organisation relying on donations to a business approach that would generate income and finance itself.

She said the home started with 15 children but now carried 40 orphans.

“The primary school we are building is through a US$7 million grant that I got from the Chinese after I went there to study their language. They said you are the only First Lady who has come to learn Mandarin, so we will honour you,” she said.

“I also want to build a hospital and a skills training college. That is my vision. It is a dream that I have even if it is not fulfilled but those are the plans that I have.”

The school has capacity to enroll 1 000 orphans.

She said she was driven by the desire to assist everyone underprivileged despite where that person came from.

“This is why I established this home in Mashonaland Central province, not in Chivhu my home area or in my husband’s home area,” she said.

VP Mujuru lauded the First Lady saying they would support her in whatever form they could as government and as individuals.

In the African culture, she said, very few people had the courage to stay with people whom they were not related to as the First Lady was staying with orphans.

“Isu kudhara taitya ngozi but if it has the blessings of God nothing will happen, there is nothing to fear because it has God’s blessings,” she said.

“It is really love, it is immeasurable, we shall pray for you.”

Speaking at the same occasion, Governor Dinha said as provincial leadership they were already working on papers to have the land extended.

“The land is no longer sufficient to sustain the projects the First Lady has on her sleeves.

“We are working on the papers to stretch the land so that she can have more land to do her projects,” Governor Dinha said.

“Some people might say ‘the First Lady is greedy, why does she want more land,’ but we are saying it is justified for her to have more land.”

The tour was also attended by Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Minister Olivia Muchena and Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni.