Kadoma-BUSE pact sets city on path to education, industrial growth

By Admire Chitsungo

KADOMA-Kadoma City Council has taken a major leap towards positioning the city as a strategic centre of education, innovation and industrial development after signing a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Bindura University of Science Education.

The transformative agreement, signed at the City Council Chambers on April 15, signals the beginning of a far-reaching partnership designed to accelerate human capital development, infrastructure expansion and sustainable economic growth in the city.

At the heart of the collaboration is an ambitious roadmap to establish a BUSE-affiliated polytechnic institution in Kadoma, alongside vocational training programmes, innovation hubs and research-driven development initiatives that will feed directly into the city’s socio-economic modernisation agenda.

The partnership will prioritise high-impact sectors such as agriculture, engineering, mining, health sciences and community development, sectors regarded as critical enablers in the attainment of national development aspirations and Vision 2030.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Kadoma Mayor Councillor Nigel Ruzario described the MOU as a catalytic intervention that will unlock investment, create jobs and stimulate broad-based growth.

“This collaboration is a defining milestone for Kadoma’s transformation matrix. It will not only expand access to higher and tertiary education, but also ignite infrastructure development, enterprise creation and skills empowerment for our communities,” he said.

Cllr Ruzario said the city was deliberately embracing knowledge-based development models to improve livelihoods, enhance service delivery and build a competitive urban economy anchored on education and innovation.

BUSE Vice-Chancellor Professor Mwenje said the university was committed to closing existing education and technical skills gaps through practical, research-oriented partnerships.

He said BUSE would leverage its academic expertise, innovation ecosystem and research capacity to support Kadoma’s long-term growth, adding that similar partnerships in other regions had produced measurable development dividends.

In a significant show of commitment, Kadoma City Council has allocated approximately 50 hectares of land near the Kadoma Research Centre for the establishment of BUSE-linked facilities.

The land will house the proposed polytechnic, a vocational training centre and future colleges, with room for phased expansion as demand grows.

Housing and Community Services director Aaron Masembura , said the project has the potential to position Kadoma into a regional education and skills powerhouse, attracting students from across Zimbabwe and the wider Sadc region, while boosting demand in accommodation, transport, retail and other support industries.

This is expected to generate multiplier effects across the local economy, deepen community empowerment and strengthen Kadoma’s strategic relevance within Zimbabwe’s national education landscape.

The MOU was signed by Prof Eddie Mwenje and Cllr Nigel Ruzario in the presence of senior council officials and university officials, among them Town Clerk Malvern Dondo and Chamber Secretary Willard Mangwengwende.

Implementation is expected to commence between May and June this year, with both parties pledging to fast-track planning, regulatory and development processes.

Prof Mwenje said BUSE’s technical teams are expected to be on site as early as May, underscoring the institution’s readiness to translate the agreement into visible developmental outcomes.

The partnership is widely viewed as a bold investment in knowledge infrastructure, one that places Kadoma firmly on the path towards becoming a modern education city and a key driver of inclusive economic transformation.