adminYeukai Karengezeka
Herald Correspondent
Plans to formulate the master plan for Chitungwiza town are at an advanced stage following numerous calls from both residents and the Government, an official has said.
Chitungwiza, which is the country’s third largest urban council, has about 25 000 illegal properties that are prejudicing the municipality millions of dollars in unpaid revenue.
Chitungwiza municipality has been operating without a master plan since 1996.
Acting Chitungwiza Mayor Kevin Mutimbanyoka said the municipality has already mobilised the required US$60 000 that will cover the cost of the master plan.
“Initially, we wanted to use devolution funds for the masterplan but now we can afford to fund this noble program internally without the Central Government’s assistance.
“The total cost from the quotes we have been given so far is around US$60 000 and this will enable us to restore order in Chitungwiza finally,” he said.
The local authority is expecting to start the project and to be completed in three months once the procurement process is done.
“We are ready to start as soon as the procurement processes are done, we are flighting the tender any day from now and as soon as we get favourable responses from the targeted companies with the requisite skills, machinery and capability to deliver on this crucial task.
“We want this process to be done by experts and not chancers and we expect it to be completed within three months of commencement,” said acting Mayor Mutimbanyoka.
While formulating the master plan residents have since urged the bankrupt council to resuscitate its finances through proper regularisation.
This means regularising properties that do not violate development control measures such as those outside road servitudes, those not under electricity pylons, those not on top of sewer lines or those not on areas such as wetlands.
In October last year, Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs and Devolution Permanent Secretary Tafadzwa Muguti, reported that Harare province had 52 000 illegal homes of which 25 000 of them were in Chitungwiza.
Online Reporter