Chivi RDC seeks $2m bail-out
CHIVI Rural District Council is seeking close to $2 million from Government to finance the transformation of Chivi TurnOff Business Centre into a modern rural business centre.
This follows a proclamation by President Mnangagwa last month indicating Government’s plans to create a rural business centre on an area opposite Chivi turn-off along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, about 45 kilometres south of Masvingo city.
The new Chivi Turn-Off Rural Business Centre will comprise a township and an industrial area.
The proclamation by President Mnangagwa announced in a Government Gazette sought to authorise the transfer of land adjacent the Chivi turn-off from communal land into a business centre. A CRIPPLING shortage of potable water has hit the Zibwowa area where more than 2 000 villagers are now relying on one borehole after most boreholes in the area have either dried up or broken down under the weight of over use and a receding water table.
The water woes are forcing villagers in some areas to walk for up to five kilometres to fetch water.
Desperate villagers are now fetching water from unprotected sources, raising the spectre of disease outbreak.
Zaka Ward 20 Councillor Walter Masaka said the Zibwowa community was now overwhelming the single borehole at a local school.
Chivi RDC chief executive Mr Tariro Matavire last week said his council wanted State financial assistance under the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP). He said the local authority made the application for funding through the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.
“We have already applied for financial assistance under PSIP from Government to the tune of $1,7 million that we want to use to upgrade the newly designated Chivi Turn-Off Rural Business Centre which no longer falls under a communal area,” he said.
“The money will be used to service residential and industrial stands at Chivi turn-off and also connect water and sewer reticulation together with roads.”
Mr Matavire said his council was planning to service at least 350 stands at the new business centre.
“We are working with the Ministry of Local Government and we look forward to getting a positive response soon paving way for servicing of stands at the business centre to start possibly in January next year before we start selling them to those keen to develop them,” said Mr Matavire.
The Chivi RDC chief said his council was excited about growth prospects at the business centre located along the busy Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway.
Chivi Turn-Off Business Centre is strategically located, linking Chivi Growth Point to Masvingo City, which is the provincial capital and also the country’s busiest port of entry, Beitbridge, to the south.
The business centre is also close to the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam to the south-east, which is expected to unlock large-scale investment in areas around the country’s largest inland water body.