City of Mutare sets turnaround targets . . . uses only 2 refuse trucks

ALL local authorities have been requested to submit a list of objectives detailing how they intend to turnaround service delivery within the next three months as one of the development agendas set in the new political dispensation.

City of Mutare Town Clerk Mr Joshua Maligwa said council has since made a list of the turnaround objectives that would see improved service delivery in the eastern border town.

Mr Maligwa said they have since set targets for various council departments and some are already “hitting the ground running”.

“The new political dispensation requires us to be hitting the ground running in terms of service delivery issues.

“We should be results-oriented and we should bring tangible results to the city in terms of service provision,” he said.

“The new political dispensation and in particular the new Minister of Local Government and Housing Development Cde July Moyo has given us a new life in as far as local authorities are concerned.

“The new minister requires us to produce tangible results inasfar as the services delivery is concerned.

“He has since requested all local authorities to submit what we can call low-hanging fruits. As far as Mutare City is concerned, we have come up with our own list,” he said.

Mr Maligwa said he has since consulted Mutare Mayor Tatenda Nhemarare and the technical team and agreed on things they want to achieve within the next 90 days.

He said among the agreed things, City of Mutare has resolved to complete the construction of a clinic and completion IMPROVED service delivery by the City of Mutare is still far from being achieved as it emerged that council is using only two refuse trucks to college garbage.

Its fleet is currently down with no hope of repairing them any time soon.

This emerged during a full council meeting held last week, where some councillors suggested that the City of Mutare write to the Minister of Public Works and Housing Development for permission to order new trucks from South Africa.

Mutare town planner Mr Richard Simbi confirmed that council was using two trucks.

of Hob House Primary School.

“We have targeted to complete our Hob House Primary School. Our target was to finish the school by December 31, 2017, unfortunately there were some snags that we met along the way.

“We have set our targets to complete within the next 90 days. This will cost us around US$370 000 inclusive of the US$180 000 that we have already used.

“In addition to that, we have also two blocks of classrooms that were need to roof before the schools open in Fern Valley,” he said.

Mr Maligwa said they have also agreed as council to provide 484 serviced residential stands in Dangamvura at an estimated cost of US$1,8 million.

Although he admitted that they would not complete the project within three months, he said there should be

Mr Simbi said out of the two trucks, one of them constantly had some mechanical problems.

“We are currently using two refuse trucks. We were supposed to have three on the road, but we have only two. Out of the two, one is giving us problems,” he said.

Mutare Ward 13 Councillor Mr Wellington Zambezi said it was cheaper for council to buy new vehicles from South Africa.

Cllr Zambezi said it was costing City of Mutare a lot of money in trying to repair and maintain the old trucks that were servicing the town.

“I propose that we write to the Minister (Public Works and Housing Development), asking for permission

something tangible within the next 90 days.

“What is of paramount importance is the issue of basic health delivery system in Mutare. You are aware that there is no clinic in Hobhouse, save for private surgeries. We are targeting the construction of a clinic in Hobhouse to be named Hobhouse Polyclinic.

“Our target is to ensure that within the first three to six months, at least as far as procurement, designs and setout, something will be happening.

“Our target is to ensure that we improve access to primary health for the people of Hobhouse to the tune of US$24 000. About 24 nurses will be employed for that project,” he said.

Mr Maligwa said as council they were working towards improving the water reticulation system in Mutare, with the completion of Dangamvura to buy new engines from South Africa. We need to appeal to the minister and tell him we want to go to South Africa to buy engines.

“If we calculate the money that we are using to repair these trucks, you will realise it is cheaper to buy from South Africa,” he said.

City of Mutare chamber secretary Mr Cephas Vuta said they were still discussing the matter as management. Mr Vuta said they would want to check on whether there are cheaper alternatives that could be found locally.

“We will discuss the matter. We are trying to see whether there are local suppliers who might have the engines,” he said.

pipeline being the main priority.

“Our water reticulation system is lacking what we call zoning. There are no zones in Mutare and we are targeting that the new water distribution network system should be zoned.

“It means we are supposed to procure water valves. We are going to fork out about US$500 000 towards the procurement of the required equipment,” he said.

Efforts were also being made to market the City of Mutare as a Special Economic Zone.

“We are also working on urban renewal and as a city we will be unveiling our partners.

“We are targeting to construct a three-storey and two-bedroomed residential flats in Sakubva under the urban renewal at a cost of about US$5 million,” he said.