By Takawira Photovet Dapi
Whoever said whatever a man can do, a woman can do it better must have had Mrs Sheila Mugabe in mind!
While most rural councils are being rundown by men, the situation is different in Hwedza Rural District Council led by a woman Mrs Mugabe, who is the chairperson.
Her good works are there for all to see as confirmed by the recent Gold Award awarded to the council at the Woman Leadership Network awards event at Meikles Hotel on March 8.
Not only is chairperson Mugabe proving to be a force to reckon with but also history maker after she won the accolade within seven months of being promoted to Council Chairperson.
Prior to her appointment, she was deputy Chairperson to the retired Council Alderman Negombwe since 2018.
The Woman Leadership Network event in partnership United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA came hot on the heels of this year 2024’s International Women’s Day dubbed as: ‘Invest in Women to Accelerate Progress’.
As a pacesetter, Hwedza Rural Distric has done exceptionally well its Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Frederick Jongwe scooped a Platinum award from Zimbabwe Chief Executive Officers’ Network at Meikles Hotel within eight months of his appointment.
In an interview with Mrs Mugabe she was over the moon.
“I was nominated for Women in Local Governance and it came as a surprise but very rewarding and encouraging.
“This year’s theme on International Women’s Day was just good “INVEST IN WOMEN AND ACCELERATE PROGRESS “
“As a woman, it gives me strength and joy that as women, we can do as good as our male counterparts.
“To my fellow women, l want us to learn from our peers, support each other.
“To our male colleagues, my appeal is, when you see a woman who is willing to get to the top, with a zeal to make a change for the better of our communities, please kindly walk along with her so simply.
“She is not a threat but a strategic partner towards development and posit change.
“We are in the direction, path confirmation right direction, award starts record.
“The accolade will keep me on my toes and make me work towards attaining a more prestigious award.
“Let continue to excel socially, economically, mentally, spiritually and also remembering to take our journey one day at a time for a positive change.
“Imagine, I have been your Vice Councilor from 2018, today you have uplifted me to be your Chairman of 15 wards and five women quota councilors, meaning this Gold Award is for Hwedza District, Hwedza is a pacesetter in this Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe, Africa and the whole world because they are all watching and learning as we walk daily as Hwedza people, souls of awards and tangible developments for all generations to come.”
She encouraged communities not to abuse children and report cases of abuse in the communities, industries and streets.
”It is a crime to fail to report anyone against abuse. The girl child must be protected day and night because they are future gold winners and leaders.
“Sexual, drug and any abuses are not tolerated because they destroy our council’s efforts in developing your wards,” she said.
She said Hwedza has to contribute to the GDP after overseeing several development projects including commissioning of clinics like Tilita and Madzimbabwe which made it accessible to many people who used to walk long distances for medical services.
“We drilled boreholes with the assistance of our exemplarily hardworking Mashonaland East Honorable Aplonia Munzverengwi and Hwedza South MP Honorable Tinodaishe Machakaire.
“We also constructed school blocks like Mother’s shelter Staff and ECD blocks using CDF.
Hwedza Council father partnered with local farmers who donated to a local clinic and drilled and installed a solar unit and tapped water for the secondary school.
“Some NGOs partnered with the local Authority to drill more boreholes and also assisted with projects nutritional gardens, poultry projects and piggery projects,” she said.
Mrs Mugabe said they were now working towards Hwedza’s town status.
“Currently, we are mandated to have a Hwedza Town master plan for orderliness because we do not need to have people constructing on undesignated sites and then play cat and mouse with their Hwedza Town council.
“This has to come to an end and this is only made possible with the availability of a master plan.
“We are also working towards the construction of an information Centre, ICT, because it is critical for HWEDZA DISTRICT’ s globalization and if our children have no access to the internet, we will be leaving them behind,” she said.
“As a district we want to have our communities to be self-dependent. Rates, levies, school fees need to be paid and this can only be possible if our families are able to be productive.”
At present, the council was working on developing local roads with assistance from local legislators.
Added to this, the council embarked on awareness on drug and substance abuse as well as gender-based violence, early teenage pregnancy and drafting of by-laws to improve on environmental issues such as climate change.
She congratulated Minister Tino Machakaire who is also from Hwedza for leading youths in Russia.
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