Chirundu shrugs off vice tag

only the conferment of dignity to some residents of the border post who for years had never enjoyed peace with their families, but also the much-awaited demise of the notorious illegal compound – Baghdad.
Baghdad had transformed the border post into a horrible breeding ground and a web for HIV and Aids.
The destruction of Baghdad also gave a new face to the country’s border with Zambia as it brought with it the beautiful side that was overshadowed by the notorious settlement.
Development in terms of housing and massive infrastructure has been moving at a good pace and the introduction of the one-stop border post has brought a refreshing look.
Subsequent to the official launch of the One-Stop Border Post at Chirundu by President Mugabe and his Zambian counterpart, President Rupiya Bwezani Banda on December 5, 2009, trade and travel activities on the border post – the only one of its kind in Africa – significantly shot up and simultaneously increased the need for residential development owing to the facilitation agencies that had then been deployed in large numbers.
With the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and Immigration departments’ flats failing to handle the high demand for accommodation, the best way out for government was to formalise Chirundu into a residential settlement leading to the handover of 300 serviced stands to the local board for allocation to at least 250 potential home owners on the long waiting list.
Although the servicing of the stands started in 1998 with the construction of sewage ponds, the housing project could not take off as there was need for approval of the site where the new suburb’s sewage ponds had been constructed.
While the handing over of the 300 stands to Chirundu local board during the official launch of Chirundu High Density Residential Suburb in January this year, Mashonaland West Governor and Resident Minister Faber Chidarikire said: “The project started in 1998 with the construction of sewage ponds followed by servicing of 300 high density residential stands measuring between 275 and 300m².
Tarring of the roads in the serviced area later followed all being in line with the Government’s policy of providing decent accommodation to all citizens in the country.”
Hurungwe Chiefs; Nyamhunga, Nematombo, Dandawa, Kazangarare, Chundu, Mudzimu, Dendera and Chanetsa along with Hurungwe Senator Reuben Marumahoko, Zanu PF Central committee member Cde Phone Madiro among others, were there to witness the memorable event.
The Governor added: “Government has shown serious commitment to the development of Chirundu as evidenced by the construction of the state-of-the-art freight terminal building currently hosting border agencies which was followed by the establishment of the first One-Stop Border Post in Africa, launched by His Excellence President Mugabe and his Zambian counterpart President Rupiya Banda on December 5, 2009.”
Cde Chidarikire said he was also pleased with such progress, which he said symbolised the demise of Bagdad – the notorious illegal compound harboring about 1 500 people at the moment – that had resurfaced despite having been abolished during Operation Murambatsvina in 2005.
He also urged the local board to strictly adhere to building by-laws to achieve quality.
Hurungwe district administrator, Ms Tsana Chirau, who is also the acting town secretary for Chirundu local board said the prices of the stands ranged around US$2 700 payable over 10 years with full payment expected upon completion of construction of the houses.
This would then be followed by issuance of the certificate of location by the local board.
This she said made payment terms affordable to the residents.
She also added that servicing of medium and low-density suburbs would be done in the next three years and it is in this phase that people from outside Chirundu would be able to purchase residential stands at the border post.
“In the meantime, only those in and around Chirundu have the priority in the high-density project while the medium and low-density phases, which will be established within the next three years, will accommodate even people from as far as Harare.
“The main target is to transform Chirundu into a town within the next 10 years,” she said
The establishment of a residential surbub at the border post was not only a milestone in the fight against the obtaining high rate of HIV infection there, but would also bring coherence within families that had been kept disjointed by the lack of adequate accommodation at the border post.
“We have commercial sex workers based in the Bagdad slum for the mere purpose of offering sexual services especially to truck drivers.
“The situation had turned out of hand as some who are formally employed at the border had also become part of the illegal compound. Baghdad had become an engine of vice and had turned into a very dangerous breeding ground for HIV and Aids,” she said.
According to Ms Chirau, Chirundu had several problems that needed urgent attention if it was to rapidly develop into a town.
Since the area is currently serviced by one clinic, it needs a referral hospital to attend to emergency cases rather than having people travelling to a Zambian hospital 10km across the Zambezi River or trekking all the way to Karoi (160km) or to Kariba (140km).
There is also no secondary school to service the area and this is the reason why primary school pupils had to enroll at secondary schools in Karoi where some unfortunately had to resort to “bush boarding”.
She also added that the future of Chirundu could be a very bright one if a substantive local board with adequate staff was quickly set up to stir the development projects.
She however, said, as was the case at Victoria Falls, those settling at Chirundu should be prepared to co-exist with the wild animals.
“Of course, the people who are building at Chirundu should brace up for co-existence with wild animals. There are natural springs, streams and mountains around and people should bear in mind that certain game corridors essential in the survival of the animals should never be compromised,” she said
A resident of Chirundu who only identified himself as Musa said it would be difficult for the local board to operate smoothly for the development of the border post.
The resident said there was a possibility of some sort of tug of war between the local board and the Department of National Parks, which at the moment is the sole custodian of the border area.
“Chirundu’s boundaries as an autonomous entity should be well defined. It seems the area is controlled by National Parks since the department dictates on every thing including where buildings, roads and bridges should be sited.
“There should be a well defined area that is handed over into the jurisdiction of the local board if real development is to come at Chirundu, otherwise the people with powers over where residents should settle are the Department of National Parks,” he said.
However, the establishment of a residential suburb at this post is a very welcome development as people will obviously build houses and stay with their families.