Presidential Solarisation Programme launch on cards

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

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Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere addresses journalists, flanked by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Martin Rushwaya at a post-Cabinet media briefing at Munhumutapa Building in Harare yesterday. — Picture: Joseph Manditswara

Zvamaida Murwira, Senior Reporter

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will soon officially launch the first year of the Presidential Solarisation Programme that seeks to provide solar power to more than 200 000 households countrywide, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, has said.

The programme has so far transformed livelihoods, particularly in rural areas, as the Second Republic moves to bridge the urban-rural divide.

Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare yesterday, Dr Muswere said Cabinet considered and approved the implementation of the Presidential Solarisation Programme Report, as presented by the Minister of State for National Security Lovemore Matuke.

“Following the approval of the Implementation Plan for the Presidential Solarisation Programme in December 2024, significant milestones have been made towards the provision of solar power to 200 000 households,” he said.

“Guidelines for the implementation of the programme have been established with stakeholder mapping and identification of beneficiaries in villages across the eight rural provinces already completed”.

Dr Muswere said community mobilisation and awareness processes spearheaded by the Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution have also been completed.

He said graduates of the Youth Service in Zimbabwe, with assistance from experts from the Harare Institute of Technology and the Rural Electrification Agency, will install 200 000 solar kits to the identified households.

“His Excellency President Cde Dr E.D. Mnangagwa will launch the Presidential Solarisation Programme to mark the official commencement of the first year of the Programme,” said Dr Muswere.

Through the National Renewable Energy Policy, Zimbabwe aims to achieve 1 100MW of renewable energy capacity.

The Presidential Solarisation Project has been one such key intervention which is expected to boost domestic productivity and create employment opportunities in rural communities in line with Vision 2030 of an empowered upper-middle-income society.

The project targets approximately 200 000 beneficiaries a year and will run for five years, starting this year.

The Rural Infrastructural Development Agency (RIDA) will oversee the implementation of the project through an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee architecture incorporating experts from local universities.

It will provide affordable but advanced solar batteries, inverters, solar panels and cables to power gadgets such as light bulbs, radios, televisions, phone chargers, laptops, small refrigerators, submersible pumps and WiFi.

The programme will see local youths and women being trained to participate in the installation programmes implemented in the districts and villages.

Meanwhile, Cabinet has also approved the Memorandum of Understanding between Zimbabwe and Algeria on Co-operation in the Field of Tourism, which was presented by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Legislation.

Dr Muswere said the major objectives of the MoU are to strengthen the friendly relations and mutual understanding between Zimbabwe and Algeria in the field of tourism; to provide a broad framework that will guide working relations for the development and promotion of tourism for both countries; to enhance co-operation in the exchange of expertise, research, and best practices in tourism development, and to promote joint tourism initiatives and investments between the two countries.

Cabinet also received and approved the Learning Visit to China Report that was presented by Environment, Climate and Wildlife Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni.

Minister Nyoni led a delegation to China last month whose objective was to strengthen bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and China on environmental policy in general, and to specifically share mutual experiences on the hosting of high-level events like the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Wetlands to be held from July 23 to 31, 2025 in Victoria Falls.