CHITUNGWIZA councillors have given the thumbs-up for an ambitious strategic plan that would see the town constructing its first dam and increase revenue.
BY ALBERT MASAKA
The plan is to increase revenue by installing prepaid water meters valued at $3 million by 2020.
The news should bring a ray of hope to the town, which was getting water supplies from Harare, which is also struggling to service its own residents.
However, before adopting the plan at the special council meeting chaired by councillor Chengetai Nyangondo, MDC Alliance councillors Jabulani Mtunzi and Lovemore Maiko sought clarity from management on why most of the project deadlines appeared to have been extended to the period beyond their term of office.
“It appears as if all the projects in the urban renewal and social services cluster will not be finished during our term of office. Why can’t we be ambitious enough to complete them within our term?” Mtunzi asked.
The strategic plan, which will run for five years beginning this year, was formulated at an Integrated Results-Based Strategic Planning workshop held in Kadoma last month.
The workshop included Local Government ministry officials, residents, workers’ representatives and the city fathers.
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According to the document adopted on Thursday, feasibility studies for the construction of Muda dam to be carried out by an independent consultant, were expected to be completed by December 2019, with the review of the dam designs done by the same month the following year.
The town, which is facing a huge backlog on the housing waiting list, also plans to provide decent and affordable housing by seeking more land from the parent ministry for housing development.
It is also going to carry out a regularisation exercise of illegal stands in the first year.
The municipality also plans to improve refuse collection by acquiring a landfill compactor and eight self-weighing refuse compactor trucks and the procurement of 150 skip dishes as well as a backhoe loader and tipper truck to improve roads.
Council is also expected to help in the construction of 51km roads in all unserviced residential areas in Seke, St Mary’s and Zengeza.
Construction of Nyatsime River Bridge is expected to start in two years in a move expected to bring relief to residents as the makeshift bridge in use is flooded during the rainy season.
Last year four people lost their lives when they were swept away by flash floods while trying to cross the flooded Nyatsime River.
Plans are afoot to construct additional health facilities including establishing an infectious diseases hospital and to recruit more health personnel.
