Herald Reporter
The amendment of the Rural Electrification Act has been approved by Government to align it with best practices, which will see the Rural Electrification Agency renamed the Rural Energy Agency as part of efforts to expand and diversify its mandate.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa yesterday said the amendments seek, among other provisions to provide for diverse sources of energy, giving the agency legal recognition as the implementing arm of the fund, rationalising the composition and functions of the board and allowing the agency to implement its projects and reduce contracting work out.

“Under the amended Act, the number of civil servants who sit on the Rural Energy Agency board will be reduced in conformity with the provisions of good corporate governance, as contained in the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act, and there will be gender parity in the membership of the board,” she said after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.

“The amendments will also provide for the appointment of the chief executive officer, and for the renaming of the Rural Electrification Agency to the Rural Energy Agency.”

Minister Mutsvangwa said Cabinet had received a report on 116 projects to be implemented under the eighth 100 Day Cycle, which commenced on August 2.

“The priority projects were selected on the basis of set criteria, and should contribute to the attainment of the National Development Strategy 1: 2021-2025, and have an impact on the livelihoods of the citizenry,” she said.

“The selected projects are citizen-centric, of high impact, can be implemented rapidly, and resources are readily available.”

Minister Mutsvangwa said the projects had been drawn from ministerial annual plans and linked to the Whole-of-Government Performance Management System.

Of the 116 projects submitted, 71 percent are ongoing, while 29 percent are new.

The projects were clustered according to the 14 thematic areas of the NDS1.