Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: Harare steps up prepaid water meter rollout – herald

Diana Nherera

Herald Reporter

THE City of Harare is continuing to roll out its prepaid water meter programme, with installation already underway in Mt Pleasant.

In his Ward 17 service delivery report presented at a feedback meeting held on Saturday last week, Ward 17 Mt Pleasant Councillor Happymore Gotora said a significant number of households in the ward had already been fitted with prepaid water meters.

He said the installation programme was continuing to expand to other parts of the ward.

“The prepaid metering programme is intended to promote responsible water consumption, improve revenue collection and contribute towards the sustainability of the city’s water services,” read the report.

Clr Gotora urged residents to cooperate with council teams and its partner, Helcraw Water, during the installation of the meters.

“This programme will only succeed if council and residents work together,” he said.

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Source: Beitbridge RDC to conduct property survey to improve service delivery – herald

Thupeyo Muleya

Beitbridge Bureau

BEITBRIDGE Rural District Council will soon embark on a Geographic Information System (GIS) Data Collection Exercise across the district as part of efforts to improve planning and service delivery.

The council’s chief executive officer, Mrs Kiliboni Mbedzi, said in a recent public notice that the survey will collect and update spatial information on properties, developments, public infrastructure, community facilities, roads and other key features within its jurisdiction.

She said the exercise is aimed at supporting effective planning, development control and informed decision-making.

“The updated data will help the local authority to better map service gaps, monitor infrastructure, and respond quickly to community needs,” said Mrs Mbedzi in the notice.

“Kindly note that the exercise is strictly for planning, mapping, service delivery and Council management purposes. It does not, by itself, constitute approval or regularisation of any development.”

The local authority called on residents and property owners to cooperate with authorised council officials, provide accurate information when asked, and allow reasonable access to properties for data collection.

Mrs Mbedzi urged members of the public to report any persons conducting the exercise without proper authorisation.

She said the adoption of GIS technology is a major step towards modernising how the council manages land and delivers services.

“Accurate spatial data is expected to improve water, road, health and education facility planning across the district’s 22 wards,” said Mrs Mbedzi.

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Source: Plans to reconstruct a road linking Kariba Urban and Rural now underway – herald

Freeman Razemba in KARIBA

Plans to reconstruct Chirara (Chalala)-Kanyati Road (Gachegache Road), which links Kariba Urban and Kariba Rural, are now underway as the Government is also in the process of availing another boat to ferry people using the same route along Lake Kariba, offering a land-based alternative to the boat service.

Most people in Kariba and its environs have been using Lake Kariba to travel to and from Kariba Urban and Rural, which is about 70km, as they deemed the route to be shorter than using road transport, going through the Karoi-Binga Road, which is 427km.

Now, with plans to reconstruct the Chilala or Charara-Kanyati Road (Gachegache Road), from Kariba Urban to Kariba Rural, the distance will be 313km by road.

On Monday, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Advocate Felix Mhona and Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Marian Chombo and senior Government officials toured the road and met engineers.

The visit by the ministers came after President Mnangagwa had directed Minister Felix Mhona to mobilise resources for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Karoi-Binga Road to improve access to Chalala, Mola, Siakobvu and surrounding areas that rely heavily on the lake for transport.

In an interview after the tour, Minister Mhona said the visit follows guidance from President Mnangagwa to find lasting solutions for community mobility between Kariba’s urban and rural areas.

“We are seeing the road that we have been briefed about, and the idea is to see how we can move with speed so that we promote accessibility and ensure the road is trafficable,” said the minister.

He emphasised that the project speaks to the bigger picture of regional connectivity championed by President Mnangagwa, linking Zimbabwe to neighbouring countries through the Beira Corridor and the North-South Corridor, strategically positioning the nation to enhance trade and tourism with Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi and the DRC.

Minister Mhona said the rehabilitation of the road will pave the way for the reintroduction of public transport and offer communities a reliable alternative to the boat service, ensuring that no one and no place is left behind.

“His Excellency Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is saying, let us now find solutions to serve the communities and we have got Kariba Urban and Kariba Rural and the disconnect now is to see how then do we have transport to manage issues of mobility from urban to rural and vice versa,” he said.

“I have tasked my engineers to come up with a solution and we are seeing this road that we have been briefed about which is about 105 kilometres to connect to Siakobvu. The idea is to see how can we move with speed so that we promote accessibility. We have discussed and we will continue in scope but the idea of connectivity is about the bigger picture.”

Minister Mhona said road public transport will be reintroduced once the roads have been rehabilitated.

“And above all, we are also thinking of how we can then substitute the boat that was shortening the distance we had, close to over 200 kilometres if we are going via water, and this is very important at the end of the day to make sure that no one and no place is left behind. “

The minister said they had also engaged with operators and private partners in Kariba to come up with a solution so that another boat will begin plying the same route.

In a separate interview, Minister Marian Chombo also said, “We still are appealing for the immediate release of a boat, even if it’s a smaller boat, because you know it’s only 80km and it links the residents of Rural or Urban Kariba to their livelihood, which is fishing.

“You know there are a lot of islands along the lake where they would go and buy or do their fishing. So although we are going to be able to provide them with this network, it’s really not going to resolve a lot of problems.”

Minister Chombo said they stand ready to support any initiative that the Government or the ministry comes up with to make sure that people access better services.

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Source: President recommends 10 for Senate appointments – herald

Nyore Madzianike

Senior Reporter

President Mnangagwa has recommended 10 people for appointment as Senators following the enactment of Constitutional Amendment Act No 3.

Speaker of Parliament Adv Jacob Mudenda named those recommended by the President during the National Assembly sitting.

He said the nominees “have been recommended for their professional skills and other competencies.”

Adv Mudenda said:

“After consultation with the National Assembly, I have to inform the House that His Excellency, the President, is desirous of appointing the following as Senators No.1 Jabulani Sibanda, 2. Mary Mliswa, 3. Nokhutula Matsikinyere, 4. Kudakwashe Tagwirei, 5. Godwills Masimirembwa, 6. Lucy Chitaga, 7. Retired Major-General Gibson Mashingaidze, 8. Makosini Hlongwane, 9. Brilliant Dube, 10. Irene Mutumba”

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Source: Kunzvi Dam pipeline progress raises hope for Harare – herald

Diana Nherera

Herald Reporter

HARARE East and the northern parts of the capital are expected to be among the first areas to benefit from the Kunzvi Dam project, Ward 9 Harare East Councillor Prince Mutebuka has said.

Speaking during a virtual Ward 9 service delivery feedback meeting recently, Cllr Mutebuka said progress on the long-awaited project was now gathering pace, with pipeline works underway.

“Kunzvi Dam, we are going to be the first beneficiaries of that project. I know it started 52 years ago, but now I’m sure there is progress,” he said.

He said the project’s pipeline would feed into a pump station to be established at Donnybrook in Harare East.

“The pipeline is actually coming. The pump station is going to be here in Harare East at Donnybrook.

“We are going to be the first beneficiaries of that project, the eastern and northern parts of Harare,” he said.

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