By Brenda Mazhambe
SHURUGWI – In a significant boost to public health infrastructure in the Midlands Province, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Hon. Owen Ncube, on Tuesday commissioned a newly refurbished nine-body mortuary at Shurugwi District Hospital.
The modernization project, valued at US$30,000, was made possible through a public-private partnership involving Chengetai Investments, a local solar technology company, in collaboration with Unki Mine and the Shurugwi Town Council.
The upgraded facility is expected to enhance service delivery and improve storage capacity at the hospital, which serves a large population within the district.
Hon. Ncube commended the collaborative effort, describing it as a model example of how partnerships between government and private entities can accelerate community development.
“This initiative demonstrates the power of unity in addressing service delivery challenges. I applaud Chengetai Investments, Unki Mine, and the Shurugwi Town Council for their shared commitment to improving health infrastructure in our province,” said Minister Ncube.
He emphasized that such partnerships align with the government’s Devolution Agenda, which seeks to empower local authorities and communities to spearhead development projects that directly impact citizens.
“This nine-body mortuary addresses previous challenges of inadequate mortuary space, proper preservation of bodies for identification, and support for medical and legal processes before burial,” he said.
He lauded the refurbishment as a reflection of the development agenda being spearheaded under the Second Republic.
“Today’s event is a clear testament to the impact of the Second Republic, under the able and visionary leadership of His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Comrade Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa,” Hon. Ncube said.
The minister linked the success of the project to the President’s Engagement and Re-engagement Policy, which he said has created a favourable environment for investment and meaningful collaboration between government and the private sector.
“This achievement is guided by the President’s Engagement and Re-engagement Policy, bolstered by the ‘Friend to All and Enemy to None’ international relations framework. It is underpinned by the New Dispensation’s favourable investment climate, which continues to attract both domestic and international corporates,” he said.
The commissioning formed part of a wider ministerial tour of Shurugwi District, during which Hon. Ncube inspected various development projects being driven by Chengetai Investments through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. These include:
The establishment of Shared Community Empowerment Trusts
A Gold Milling Centre, commissioned on the same day
Aggregation of mining claims for youths being relocated from Hwandara Mine
Construction of a hospital at Shurugwi Female Prison
Resurfacing of Gwenhoro Road
Donation of 60 tons of mealie-meal for government drought relief
Support for poultry and sports projects at Vubwi Primary School
Medical outreach programs
Donation of ICT equipment to schools
Construction of the ZANU-PF office in Shurugwi
Minister Ncube described the contribution by Chengetai Investments as both “tangible and transformational,” urging other corporates to take a more active role in community development.
“Corporate social investment must become a priority. I once again express my profound gratitude to Chengetai Investments for their consistent and unwavering support,” he said.
He also acknowledged Unki Mine and the Shurugwi Town Council for their continued efforts toward the rehabilitation of health infrastructure in the district, including Shurugwi District Hospital.
The minister further outlined strides made in the Midlands Province under the Second Republic in transforming the healthcare sector. These include the decentralization of nursing training to remote areas such as Gokwe South and North, the provision of X-ray machines and theatre equipment, the construction of Mataga Mini Hospital, and the establishment of devolution-funded clinics across various local authorities.
Hon. Ncube reserved special praise for First Lady Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa, citing her role in spearheading national health and wellness campaigns.
“Her passionate and globally acclaimed wellness programs resonate with today’s event,” Ncube said, referring to the First Lady’s cancer screening drives, donation of hospital consumables, and the establishment of the Angel of Hope Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Mbare.
The minister emphasized that sustainable development can only be achieved through collective effort and strong partnerships.
“Together, we are building Zimbabwe,” he said.
The event was attended by senior government officials, traditional leaders, business representatives, and local residents, many of whom welcomed the upgraded facility as a long-overdue improvement that restores dignity to Shurugwi’s health services.
