Councillors pledge to improve border town

THE MDC-Alliance has taken over the running of Beitbridge Municipality after winning all the six administrative wards during the recently held harmonised elections.

The country’s busiest port town had been under the leadership of Zanu-PF councillors.

The new team is made up of MDC-Alliance’s national youth organising secretary Morgan Ncube (Ward 4), Daniel Muleya (Ward 1), Munyaradzi Chitsungo (Ward 2), Taka Mahachi (Ward 3), Granger Hungwe (Ward 5) and Ms Agnes Tore (Ward 6).

Although the MDC-Alliance won urban wards, Zanu-PF remains in control of Beitbridge Rural District Council and the two National Assembly constituencies represented by Cdes Albert Nguluvhe (Beitbridge East) and Ruth Maboyi (Beitbridge West).

The town falls under Beitbridge East constituency.

Mr Morgan Ncube, who is former councillor for Ward 3, said in an interview yesterday that they were looking forward to a healthy working relationship with the Zanu-PF legislator, Cde Nguluvhe.

“We are all agents of development and hence we must put our political difference aside and give Beitbridge residents the best in terms of infrastructure development and service delivery,” he said.

“In short the community should be the winner. Under our tenure we expect to prioritise the provision of clean and affordable water to the residents of Beitbridge.

“We will engage the Zimbabwe National Water Authority over the debt cancellation for the local authority. This issue has been perennially contentious.”

Mr Ncube said they will implement projects based in the town’s strategic development plan and through consultation with the residents who are the major stakeholders in town.

He said the town was facing a lot of challenges in terms of housing development, sewer and water reticulation facilities and that some roads were in bad state.

In a recent interview Beitbridge East, MP-elect (Cde Nguluvhe) said he will engage with the new councillors to roll out people oriented issues.

“It is important that we engage with the local authority to stop issuing serviced land for habitation,” he said.

“Let’s focus on the outstanding projects before we start many others.”

Cde Nguluvhe said he will also pursue the release of funds from Government under the Beitbridge Development Fund to boost infrastructure development in the town.