by Rudo Saungweme

President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has yesterday commissioned a two billion housing project in Hopeville, Bulawayo.

Speaking at the commissioning event, President Mnangagwa hailed Bulawayo for taking the lead in development indicating that the housing project should be able to empower women and youths, through employment creation. The project which is spearheaded by Peter Cunninghum and JR Goddard is complementing government`s efforts to promote growth and development in Zimbabwe.

A minimum of 15 000 housing units are going to be built, a golf course, eight schools ,churches and  a business centre will also be built to cater for the needs of the people in the area. President recited that the Minister of Local Government is planning to give Hopeville suburb a municipality status since it is near an airport. He added that the area has a potential to be bigger than Gwanda.

President Mnangagwa urged local authorities to be efficient in all areas throughout the country by providing proper servicing in the installation of sewer and sanitation services.

The councils which have been led by MDC Councillors since 2000 are in a pity state which has caused the outbreak of Cholera in some parts of the country for the past two weeks.

President Mnangagwa has always told Zimbabweans to dwell much on economic development and leave political differences aside.

President Mnangagwa speaking at the launch said, “give politics a break, it is now economics, economics, it is now time for development.”

The housing project will see a number of people having decent accommodation which is in line with government`s vision of attaining the middle income economy by 2030.