Nkayi traditional leader Chief Mbuso Dakamela has appealed to various stakeholders to chip in with material or financial resources needed to ensure the successful hosting of the Imiklomelo Ka Dakamela Awards.
The annual event now in its third year running will be held on April 4 and 5 in Nkayi.
The awards, which were init\iated in 2021, are aimed at recognising excellence while also fostering economic growth and rural development.
Chief Dakamela emphasised the need for investors to come forward and help build essential infrastructure to support the growing event.
“We are just beginning, and because of resource constraints, it is difficult,” he said.
“We need people to come and build something—maybe a chalet or small lodges—because this event is now a yearly occasion.
“In the next two years, accommodation won’t be a challenge if people start investing now.”
He said the event contributes to rural tourism.
- Preparations for Dakamela awards gain momentum
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“We also have a concept where we are asking some people to build a hut or two in a certain area,” he said.
“By doing that, it will help lift rural tourism and ensure visitors have proper places to stay.”
Beyond tourism and accommodation, Chief Dakamela revealed plans to establish solar-powered boreholes in every village to support agricultural sustainability.
The first borehole under this initiative will be launched in April, with a focus on farming stock feed on at least five to eight hectares of land.
“Besides Dakamela, it is my wish that Matabeleland, or even the whole of Zimbabwe, embraces stock feed farming,” he said.
“Villages need to have access to food in times of drought.
“Some of it can even be sold at reasonable prices, reducing transportation costs.”
As preparations for the awards gain momentum, the poor state of roads leading to Dakamela remains a significant challenge.
Chief Dakamela urged responsible authorities to prioritise the rehabilitation of Nkayi roads, which has long been a concern for residents and visitors alike.
“We are encouraging the rural district councils to act because this road has been included in the national budget,” the chief said.
“Nkayi Road was pegged for 24km of repairs, and we hope that by the time of our event, something meaningful will have been done.
“We also wish for an additional 20km to be fixed, and the rest of the road to be graded.”
He stressed that the state of the roads could affect the event’s success.
“We also expect government ministers and other delegates at the event, so we hope the roads will be repaired or at least graded to ensure safe travel,” he said.
With the Imiklomelo Ka Dakamela Awards fast approaching, Chief Dakamela’s call for investment and infrastructure development reflects a broader vision of rural transformation — one that balances cultural recognition with sustainable economic growth.
