Harare launches 9th phase of 100-day plan

HARARE City Council has launched its ninth phase of the Rapid Results Initiative under the 100-Day Cycle, as it seeks to speed up the implementation of various projects including water provision, revenue collection and regularisation of illegal settlements that have sprouted across the city.

The RRI system was introduced by the Second Republic as a working schedule to track progress of all projects.

Speaking during the launch of the ninth phase at Town House last week, town clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango said they started institutionalising the RRI in 2017 as a way of kick-starting the implementation of goals in their strategic plan.

Since then, they have done eight waves of the RRI with “varying degrees of success”, said Eng Chisango.

“When we reviewed our strategic plan in January this year, we had hoped that we would implement the strategic objectives using the rapid results approach, but this was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown which began on March 30, 2020.”

He said his dream was that RRI becomes “the new normal”, because the concept had proven that it was possible to be ambitious and to achieve greater things in short periods of time.

“Rapid Results Initiative ensures that there is accountability for results. During this period, we will be tracking progress using our monitoring and evaluation division. The first dashboard must be submitted every Friday 1600 hours. Attendance to the weekly meetings by all team members is compulsory and attendance registers must be maintained. We have internal coaches who will be assigned to the teams for technical assistance,” he said.

Eng Chisango said although the Covid-19 pandemic was still posing a threat to the nation, there was need to get used to the new normal so that they do not lose track of other strategic objectives that must be implemented.

“This is why we are here today to reignite ourselves so that we deliver on a selected number of goals in the waste water sector, infrastructure development, regularisation, urban renewal, greening of the City and enhancing revenue collection.

“These are the key thematic areas we will be focusing on from today until October this year.”

THE poor state of major roads in Beitbridge East is adversely affecting the introduction of public transport resulting in communities relying on private motorists.

This was said by Beitbridge East legislator, Albert Nguluvhe during the distribution of food hampers to church groups, people living with disabilities, orphanages, civil servants, hospitals and other vulnerable members of the group.

The parliamentarian said he sourced 30 tonnes of rice from Government through the assistance of Vice President Kembo Mohadi, who is also from his constituency.

Cde Nguluvhe said he engaged the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Joel Biggie Matiza to expedite the completion of pending road projects.

An estimated 180 000 people live in the rural component of the district.

“It costs an average of R150 for one to travel from rural Beitbridge to town mostly journeys of 100km,” he said.

“The Lutumba/Tshikwalakwala road is one of the affected major roads in our constituency and its state is affecting the reintroduction of public transport. However, I have approached the Zimbabwe United Passengers Company (Zupco) who have promised to give us buses to service routes along the same road once it is fixed.”

He said he had approached a number of other public transport operators to service the rural routes and most of them were reluctant.

The Lutumba to Tshikwalakwala road also services nine business centres, Beitbridge Colliery Mine, six clinics and Chituripasi police station, and two major irrigation schemes, which include; Tshikwalakwala and Tshamaswiswi, across six wards.

Cde Nguluvhe said the Covid-19 pandemic had left a lot of households food insecure, especially those who used to rely on cross border-related businesses.

It is understood that prior to the lockdown, 15 000 people were food insecure from the district and the figure has relatively increased.

“This rice is being shared with all members of the community, especially the orphans, elderly, disabled, frontline Government workers among others.

“I want to appeal to the business community to pool resources and assist the Government in addressing the people’s social needs, particularly the food and nutrition security,” he said.

As efforts to ease the social strife caused by hunger, religious groups among them the Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe church has between April and July donated food hampers to 72 Beitbridge town residents, mostly those falling in the vulnerable group.

The church’s leader, Pastor Newman Mugandani said yesterday that it was important for the church to help people at their greatest hour of need.