Commission to focus on service delivery
THE newly-appointed commission to run Mutare City Council has pledged to improve service delivery and address issues bedevilling the city, among them refuse collection, water and sewerage upgrading, roads rehabilitation and ease of doing business.
Government recently appointed a three-member commission which will preside over Mutare City Council before the swearing-in of new councillors.
The commission is chaired by Tanganda Tea company finance director Mr Henry Nemaire, who is assisted by Mutare district administrator Mr Wilson Bore and Ms Vimbai Masara.
In an exclusive interview, Mr Nemaire said it was pleasing to note that a number of investors had expressed interest in taking up infrastructural development projects in the city.
He revealed that service delivery would improve once the local authority received its foreign currency allocation amounting to close to $400 000 from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to ensure the supply of the service delivery vehicles that include refuse trucks, front-end loaders and other maintenance equipment,” he said.
“Putting in place a sound financial management system is a top priority. All stakeholders should work together in order to improve service delivery.
“It is pleasing to note that prior to our appointment as commissioners, the local authority was already in full drive rolling out citizen engagement programmes, using the various forms of media and social media components such as Facebook and WhatsApp platforms which have created a healthy engagement process,” he said.
“We shall put our efforts to ensure that the engagement process is all inclusive including the business community and all concerned residents. The major problem which has affected service delivery is attributed to low revenue generation.
“In line with that, council is owed millions which when collected will jump-start service delivery to better levels. Our humble appeal to every Mutare citizen and stakeholder is to honour their monthly dues and payment plans for past dues.”
Mr Nemaire said the City of Mutare had over the past months fulfilled its refuse collection schedule in all 19 wards, despite a depleted fleet adding that there was anticipation that the situation would improve in future.
He said that despite making tremendous strides in improving road rehabilitation, the local authority would do more once they received more equipment.
“Jeff Road, Magamba and Blessing Makunike roads are being transformed from gravel to tar, and the construction process should be completed before the end of the month,” said Mr Nemaire.
“Once the local authority receives more plant and equipment, the pace of road rehabilitation and maintenance will improve.
“Over and above the transformation of the roads, the local authority is already carrying out routine and periodic maintenance programmes in and around the city, which involves pothole patching, resealing of the roads, to mention just a few.
“City of Mutare has come up with business incentives for investors in line with the ease of doing business and the local authority is singing in tune to the national mantra, Zimbabwe is open for business. It is pleasing that a number of investors have expressed interest to take up infrastructure development projects in the city, and we anticipate that the processes will move a gear up.”