Claver Nyuki

His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa today officially opened the Hopely Tariro Clinic and Youth centre where he pledged continued support from Government to provide basic services to everyone in Zimbabwe.

President Mnangagwa applauded the Harare City Council (HCC) for initiating the project and the various stake holders that made it a success.

“I want to congratulate HCC for the concept and actualisation of the Tariro centre and also extend gratitude to other stakeholders including the United Nations (UN) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) who supported the project,” he said.

The ceremony which coincided with the World Population Day (WPD) saw President Mnangagwa pledge more corporation between government and the UN, especially now that the country is preparing for a population census in 2022.

He said, “The population census will provide accurate statistics which will make government more conscious about delivering service to our people.”  

President Mnangagwa expressed his dismay at the statistics that 18% of girls in Hopely give birth or get married before they attain the age of 18.

“I am worried about the statistics that 18% of girls are impregnated before they reach the age of 18.

“We have a law that criminalise kuroorwa kana kuroora uripasi pemakore 18. We want you to finish school first then get married,” he added.

President Mnangagwa also expressed pleasure in the fact that Zimbabwe is one of the countries with the highest literacy rate in Africa and highlighted the necessity for government to attend to the young generation in terms of education, primary health care, gender equality and women empowerment.

President Mnangagwa in his concluding remarks pledged that government would avail all the equipment needed by the clinic and encouraged other communities to make such interventions in transforming their areas.