Source: Umguza pushes for city status – herald
Vusumuzi Dube, Deputy Radar Editor
UMGUZA Rural District Council has set its sights on becoming a fully-fledged urban centre after formally applying to be upgraded to Umgungundlovu Western City, in a move expected to unlock massive development potential and transform the area into a key economic hub in Matabeleland.
The application, which is awaiting gazetting by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, places Umguza among a select group of local authorities seeking to elevate their administrative status to improve service delivery, governance and access to funding.
Strategically located on the outskirts of Bulawayo, Umguza has increasingly become a prime zone for expansion, benefiting from its proximity to the country’s second-largest city, as well as access to major road networks linking it to other parts of Matabeleland and beyond.
The district has in recent years witnessed steady population growth, rising residential developments and increasing economic activity, positioning it as a natural candidate for urban transformation.
Its land availability has also made it attractive for housing projects, agro-based enterprises and small to medium industries.
The area boasts vast agricultural potential, with farming activities ranging from crop production to livestock rearing, while its peri-urban nature has seen a surge in informal and formal business operations catering to the growing population.
Infrastructure development has also been gaining momentum, with improved road networks, expanding residential settlements and ongoing efforts to enhance water and service delivery systems, key factors considered in applications for status upgrades.
Confirming the developments, the ministry’s director of communication and advocacy, Mr Gabriel Masvora, said the application was being processed in line with statutory procedures.
“The ministry has received and is processing applications from several local authorities seeking upgrading of their administrative status. Each application is assessed based on set criteria including population growth, economic activity, infrastructure development and administrative capacity.
“Some applications are awaiting gazetting, while others require further technical assessment before progression to the next stage,” said Mr Masvora.
Umguza’s bid stands out in the Matabeleland region as the only application seeking city status under the proposed name Umgungundlovu Western City, a development that could significantly reshape the province’s urban landscape.
Nationally, 16 local authorities have submitted applications for status upgrades, with 12 Rural District Councils applying for town board status, two local boards seeking elevation to town councils and two town councils applying for municipality status.
Other applications include Mazowe RDC to Tsungubvi Town Board, Murewa RDC to Murewa Town Board, Pfura RDC to Mt Darwin Town Board and Chaminuka RDC to Shamva Town Board, among others, with most awaiting gazetting or further assessment.
The push for upgrading local authorities aligns with Government’s broader development agenda under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which prioritises modernisation of settlements and balanced urban growth as Zimbabwe moves towards attaining upper-middle-income economy status by 2030.
Central to this vision is the adoption of comprehensive master plans, which will guide land use, infrastructure development, housing, transport systems and environmental management.
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