Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. IN a significant step to address the national housing shortage, President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday commissioned the multi-million dollar Zvishavane Midlands Park, a public-private partnership set to deliver modern accommodation for families and students.
The US$37,7 million development, a collaboration between the Public Service Commission (PSC) and First Mutual Holdings, will provide 300 residential flats and 750 student apartments, creating a new hub for the mining town.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony yesterday, Mnangagwa hailed the project as a symbol of national unity and progress.
“This modern infrastructure serves as a source of pride for the veterans of the liberation struggle, who fought so that all our people can have a higher quality of life,” he said.
He emphasised that the project aligns with his administration’s National Development Strategy, calling it a “bold choice” to achieve “equitable people-centred development that leaves no one… behind”.
The President also underscored the importance of “value for money, fine workmanship and timely completion” as new standards for all public sector projects.
The success of the venture was credited to the effective partnership between the public and private sectors.
First Mutual Wealth provided the land, while the majority of the capital — approximately 97% — was invested by the Public Service Pension Fund, with First Mutual acting as project manager, according to Douglas Hoto, chairman and group chief executive officer of First Mutual Holdings.
He said: “The view of us and our partners is that this must happen in every province, and eventually in every district,” with Matabeleland North, Mashonaland East, and Central provinces identified as next in line.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister Edgar Moyo praised the PSC for delivering a “high-impact process” that provides decent accommodation for public workers and local communities.
Moyo directly linked the project’s success to the President’s vision, calling him “the guardian of our national pride and respect”.
Beyond housing, the government service fund is now being leveraged for broader investments, including industrial warehousing hubs, student accommodation complexes, and renewable energy projects in the tourism sector, showcasing its expanding role in the nation’s socio-economic growth.
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