adminPatrick Chitumba recently in Binga
BINGA Rural District Council has availed 200 residential stands as it moves to clear the housing backlong and seek to attain town status.
The local authority’s chief executive officer, Joshua Muzamba, said there were about 200 people on the housing waiting list and hoped the new stands would ease accomodation shortages.
“We’ve pegged about 200 stands for both high and medium density areas as we move towards clearing the housing backlog. We pegged the stands in Gowera and Secondary areas,” he told Chronicle.
Muzamba said water provision to the new residential stands remains a challenge and council had engaged the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) and Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) to assist in servicing the stands.
“Since our major challenge was the provision of water to these new areas, we’ve engaged Zinwa so that they assist us to complete servicing the areas. Zinwa provides water to this town and therefore they can easily supply these areas with water,” he said.
“With Zinwa and Zinara we have a complete package because we need the roads and water for the project to be a success.”
Muzamba also said revenue collection from rates had been affected by low kapenta fishing in the Zambezi River.
“Kapenta catches by the fishing cooperatives have started dwindling and as a result that has had a ripple effect on us as they are failing to pay rates. We’re, however, engaging them with a view of having payment plans so that we recover our dues,” he said.
Muzamba said Binga was a growing town with three residential areas namely Gowera, Secondary and Garikai high-density suburbs.
Muzamba said the local authority was working towards applying for town status saying they have a proper water and sewer reticulation system.
derick.khumalo