Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Reporter
BULILIMA Rural District Council (RDC) has appealed to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development to urgently rehabilitate Mangubo bridge, which connects Plumtree Town to Maitengwe Border Post. The road is a hive of activity especially during the festive season when hundreds of Zimbabweans based in Botswana and South Africa flock back home for Christmas and New Year holidays.
In an interview Bulilima RDC chairperson, Councillor Zoolakes Nyathi, said the bridge was badly damaged by rains and could collapse anytime thereby cutting off the link with the border. “Buses ply the Maitengwe Road daily and I don’t think those pillars are still strong enough to withstand such pressure. It has to be attended to as a matter of urgency because it can collapse anytime,” he said.
The road leading to Maitengwe Border Post is 28km and falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development. The road has been earmarked for rehabilitation under the Government’s Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP2), which targets to rehabilitate 10 000km of roads countrywide.
Meanwhile, unavailability of network in Masendu area in Bulilima District is frustrating the relocation of Bulilima Rural District Council from Plumtree Town to Masendu business centre, a situation that has seen council resolving to set up satellite offices in Figtree and at Madlambudzi growth point so that villagers can access council services.
Bulilima RDC shares offices with their Mangwe RDC counterparts in Plumtree Town, which is over 100km from some remote areas like Ward 10. Most villagers in Ward 10 are holders of Botswana mobile phone numbers whose network can easily be accessed.
The resolution to move council offices from Plumtree town was made almost two decades ago, according to Cllr Nyathi. “When council made that resolution, Masendu looked to be a fast-developing area but unfortunately is now lagging behind Madlambudzi which has expanded almost five-fold,” he said.
Clr Nyathi said one needs to be at a certain point in order to get a signal in Masendu which he said was worrisome. Indications are that Madlambudzi growth point, 75km from Plumtree Town might be chosen as the council headquarters. The district has more than 85 000 people according to the 2022 census results.
Clr Nyathi said in Madlambudzi, there is a clinic, a police station, a primary and secondary school, an Agritex office and other key Government departments offices. “Madlambudzi is growing fast as many people are establishing businesses there. Council availed 250 business and residential stands, which were quickly taken up,” said Clr Nyathi.
Bulilima was proclaimed a district in 2003 through an Act of Parliament after the split of Bulilimamangwe Rural District Council into three administrative authorities, Bulilima RDC, Mangwe RDC and Plumtree Town Council.
It is the biggest of the three with 22 wards, Mangwe has 17 wards with just over 65 000 people while Plumtree has just six wards with a population of just over 14 000.
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