BY BAYANDA NKATHA

Stakeholders from Nkayi District have gathered in Bulawayo for the inaugural Nkayi Diaspora Investment Indaba, which kicked off this Thursday morning at the Zimbabwe Art Gallery.

The event has drawn various stakeholders, including heads of government departments, traditional leaders, Diaspora-based business people, humanitarian organizations such as Amalima Loko and others.

The district is seeking to court investors for various projects and service delivery, with the aim of addressing the area’s marginalization and development challenges.

Nkayi is one of the districts that has lagged behind in terms of development, with its two major connecting roads – Bulawayo-Nkayi and Kwekwe-Nkayi-Lupane – deteriorating to an extent that driving has become a nightmare.

However, the district has huge potential, boasting vast natural resources, including rich agricultural soils, water, the upcoming Ziminya Dam, sand abstraction, timber, beekeeping, and more.

Its proximity to Gokwe, Lupane, Binga, and Kwekwe makes Nkayi a strategic market district.

BY STAFF REPORTER 

On October 10, the Nkayi Diaspora Investment Event will take place at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre Tea Room, aiming to channel investment into sustainable rural development.

The event is the second of its kind, following the successful Binga Diaspora Investment Event in April, which raised over US$50 000 for community initiatives.

“We are very encouraged by the enthusiastic response from individuals, local and international businesses that are already pledging support for these initiatives. It is a really positive sign and reflects a widespread and genuine interest for investing in the future of rural communities,” said Dominic Graham, Amalima Loko’s Chief of Party.

“We expect that this collaborative platform will support the health and education of children in these communities as well as helping to create meaningful partnerships between businesses, individuals and communities that will endure long after the event has closed,” Graham added.

The Nkayi Diaspora Investment Event is a collaborative effort between the USAID-funded Amalima Loko program and the Nkayi Rural District Council.

It seeks to attract support for projects presented by community members, focusing on constructing and upgrading schools and clinics, as well as promoting microentrepreneurs’ business expansion plans.

Interested parties can register to attend online or in person using the following contacts:

– Registration Link: [Registration Link]
– Ms. Dube (Amalima Loko): +263 78 054 3204
– Ms. Mhlanga (Nkayi District Coordinator’s Office): +263 77 309 7335
– Mrs. Maipisi (Nkayi Rural District Council): +263 774 566 786

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A 30-year-old man from Gokwe has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for stealing cattle worth US$7 300.

Langton Fusi of Fusi Village, Gababi, Chief Njelele, appeared before the Nkayi Magistrates’ Court facing four counts of stock theft.

According to court records, on August 18, Zwelinkosi Nkomazana, a local farmer, released his herd of three cattle to graze along Tshangani River.

Unbeknownst to him, Fusi was lurking nearby, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Fusi stole one brown bull with a distinctive dip tank brand mark NK06 on the left hind thigh and made off with it unnoticed.

However, his luck ran out the following day when he and his accomplice, Manford Moyo, were spotted driving the stolen bull along with 21 other cattle belonging to other farmers.

Villagers apprehended Fusi, but Moyo managed to escape. The stolen cattle were recovered, and Fusi was arrested and charged with stock theft.

In court, Fusi was found guilty and sentenced to an effective 18 years in prison.