Binga unveils ambitious development master plan

BINGA Rural District Council has unveiled an ambitious infrastructural development plan meant to address the district’s unique challenges and capitalise on its opportunities, promoting sustainable growth and improved quality of life for locals.

The projects are part of its comprehensive 20-year master plan, covering the period between 2024 and 2044.

The expansive master plan covers a wide geographical area bordering the Zimbabwe-Zambia boundary, communal lands and natural features like the Tshangani River and Chizarira National Park.

Its objectives include urban planning, improving infrastructure and residential development, sustainable resource management with a particular emphasis on agriculture and tourism, community empowerment and engaging local stakeholders to ensure that residents’ needs are met.

In November last year, President Mnangagwa launched the, “Call to action, no compromise to service delivery,” blueprint, in which he also directed all the 92 local authorities to produce their master plans by June this year.

In line with that, the Binga strategic plan, now open for public exhibition, targets areas such as healthcare, education, air, water and road transportation.

“The master plan proposes for the expansion of healthcare access in Binga by upgrading Binga Rural District Council Hospital, expanding facilities for outpatients, maternity, casualty, childcare, mortuary and staff accommodation,” reads the document seen by Chronicle.

The plan further encompasses construction of two new rural hospitals, establishing clinics to increase healthcare infrastructure, reducing travel distances and providing land for three private surgery stands in Binga Centre.

On Education, the master plan advocates that stakeholders must advance spatial equity in access to education and training through the provision of adequate infrastructure, noting that education is a cornerstone strategy for fostering skills development, eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable economic growth.

“A three-pronged approach is crucial, registering and regularising all satellite schools, providing both the infrastructure (hardware) and the curriculum and training (software) for effective education,” reads the document.

“This investment empowers the community, both rural and urban residents by equipping them with the skills needed to access employment opportunities and drive economic expansion. The multi-pronged approach will improve Binga’s pass rate.”

There is also need to rehabilitate and upgrade the Kariangwe, Lusulu, Mlibizi, Tyunga and Sijarira airstrips.

The master plan proposed that Binga Centre terminus be upgraded to a state-of-the-art infrastructure to accommodate both long and short distance travel needs and it must be equipped with Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) infrastructure and workspaces to accommodate all types of MSMEs.

“This terminus is the first infrastructure that visitors view when they get into Binga centre. It also proposed that termini be provided for in every rural and business Centre in Binga and these should be sited in traffic (human and vehicular) generating points,” reads the document.

Council has said the master plan will be reviewed after every 15 years to comply with the provision of the Act and proposed that there be an urgent preparation of Binga Local Board Master Plan while the planning department will continuously keep under consideration issues that need attention and highlight these planning issues for the review and or amendment of the master plan.

Binga RDC chief executive officer, Mr Joshua Muzamba said without a master plan, development decisions become reactive rather than proactive and council might be forced to respond to immediate needs or pressures, potentially leading to piecemeal or unco-ordinated development.