A JANUARY 27 article published by NewsDay on the neglect of Mtetengwe Primary School, 20km west of Beitbridge, recently saw Vice-President Kembo Mohadi’s positive reaction light up the rural Mtetengwe village, which for a moment resembled a city.
Complete with traffic jams and traffic policemen controlling vehicles, the village, where Mohadi hails from, could be mistaken for a suburb in any of Zimbabwe’s towns.
Decorations at the school and mini stalls by different organisations selling products to a large crowd that gathered added to the urban look, presenting part of the refurbished school as a mini trade fair.
Thousands of people from across Zimbabwe gathered at the school — a stone’s throw away from Mohadi’s home and established in the 1960s, but with little to show for its existence.
And just a day after NewsDay reported the condition of the school, things quickly changed and the village became a hive of activity.
Mohadi, as he should have, reached out to the corporate world and they obliged.
“We are so grateful to Mohadi, he has shown us that we have someone in the high offices. A school is not anyone’s personal property, but a whole community has finally been remembered. He is a son of this area, we are happy to have him,” an elderly man identified only as Mbedzi said.
“Never before have we seen so many cars, so many people and we are happy. All things happening here are modern. We are part of the rural world today and this day will remain in our minds for a long time. Let me go and dance,” an elderly woman said before disappearing in the crowd of dancing villagers.
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Organisers of the commissioning event had different entertainment activities, which saw the late former President Robert Mugabe doppelganger Tinotenda Mutswiri, popularly known as Jah Bobo, entertaining the crowd with his looks, body movements and speech resembling the late former head of State.
Jatiwero, the comedian and a favourite of the youths, also lit up moments with his skits, while the crowd also came face-to-face with the woman who won a car for shaking her behind.
Also not to be outdone were school children’s traditional dances which moved the crowds.
At the school, NetOne played a central role in changing the complexion of Mtetengwe school with its substantial works.
All classes, including a Grades 6 and 7 block where children preparing for final year examinations, were being conducted in a staff room after the roof of the block of classrooms was destroyed by a hailstorm four years ago.
Two boreholes were sunk and solarised to provide safe drinking water and irrigate a community nutrition garden as well as water a chicken project now run at the school.
“And most significantly, we launched a state-of-the-art computer laboratory, introducing rural learners to the global digital village,” NetOne chief executive officer Raphael Mushanawani told the thousands who gathered at the commissioning event.
Mohadi himself thanked the media in passing, choosing not to specifically acknowledge the story that triggered his action.
“I want to thank the members of the fourth estate here and encourage them to continue writing the stories of our country,” he said.
The VP said the refurbishment was meant to bring about quality education to all learners and improve access to these life empowering tools of trade for socio-economic transformation of our nation.
“I want to challenge all the learners, members of staff and the whole community of Mtetengwe, to take advantage of these resources which can change livelihoods of our community. Let us unite and protect these resources for future generations,” Mohadi said.
“As we celebrated the Half Marathon which was running today, under the theme Championing a Drug-Free Society by 2030, we embrace a critical mission that resonates deeply within our communities.
“Drug and Substance abuse is a challenge that affects many lives, tearing at the very fabric of our society,” he said, in reference to a marathon themed Run For Hope held in his honour.
