Create conducive environment for investment, mayor urges council

HARARE City Council must play its part by creating a conducive environment for investment, Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni has said.

Speaking at Harare Water Strategic Plan and Zimfund Non-Revenue Water Project Outcome Workshop in Harare on Tuesday, Clr Manyenyeni said Government’s Zimbabwe is Open for Business mantra was a call for investors to come into the country and the municipality must play ball.

“The hospitability of Harare as a capital city creates the first impression and investment climate for Zimbabwe. The question is: Is the capital city playing its part by creating a conducive or appropriate environment for investment and mitigate insatiable demand for municipal service?” he said. Clr Manyenyeni urged council to be proactive. “Growth of the Harare Metropolis requires a new paradigm to match and sustain exponential demand for service.

“Being open for business means trafficable roads, a well-lit city, sustainable housing development, no illegal settlements, safe and secure environment,” he said.

Clr Manyenyeni said it was important to promote economic development through policies that support growth and development, clean environment, access to clean water and sanitation services.

Currently, council is failing to provide basic services as evidenced by the potholed roads, malfunctioning traffic lights and failure to provide residents with clean water.

Although council is repairing roads in some suburbs, the programme is snail-slow and the rain season might come without any meaningful progress. Council is also failing to collect garbage on time. This has seen residents dumping litter everywhere.