adminGeorge Maponga
Masvingo Bureau
Chivi Rural District Council is close to sealing a multi-million-dollar deal with a private firm, contributing 20 hectares of land for its share, to develop a smart city at Chibi Turn-Off Business Centre, along the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge highway.
This comes as the local authority angles to leverage on the anticipated boom in economic activities once developments at the nearby Tugwi-Mukosi Dam are in full swing.
Chibi Turn-Off Business Centre is close to Tugwi-Mukosi Dam, and completion of the dam’s irrigation and spatial plans, means the area will be a hive of economic activity with envisaged investments in irrigation development, tourism, fishing, recreational boating and power generation, among others.
The strategic location of the business centre by virtue of road links to both Masvingo City and other towns such as Zvishavane, also means it will be easily accessible to many people, making it ideal to establish a smart city at Chibi Turn-Off.
Chivi RDC chief executive Mr Tariro Matavire yesterday said plans to develop the smart city were at an advanced stage.
“We have a development partner for the project and we have agreed on what we, as the local authority, will bring into the project and what the partner will bring and we are happy with progress in our discussions to date,” said Mr Matavire.
“Everything is pointing to us putting pen to paper on the deal that will see the development of a smart city at Chibi Turn-Off. We are still to agree on the full cost of the project and what the two parties will contribute to the project, but we are almost there.
“We hope that our development partner will inject most of the funding and effect developments from where we hope to recoup our investments. As the local authority, our main investment in the project is the 20 hectares of land under Chibi Turn-Off Business Centre.”
Mr Matavire said the planned smart city will house a five-star hotel, service stations, two shopping malls, industrial complexes and 500 residential stands.
Council teams were now putting final touches to the designs of the facilities to be housed at the smart city.
Surveying of the ground is now being finalised, after which the signing of the agreement would be done.
“We expect that because of the business centre’s proximity to Masvingo City, some people working in Masvingo will actually get residential stands and build houses here and commute to work, while those in Masvingo might actually drive here daily to conduct their business at the smart city.
“Tugwi-Mukosi Dam development projects will also attract a lot of business to Chibi Turn-Off because of proximity,” said Mr Matavire.
Government has added impetus to plans to develop Chibi Turn-Off business centre into a smart city through the ongoing widening and rehabilitation of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge highway, which is almost complete.
The project will see more human and vehicular traffic plying the highway, meaning more business opportunities for investors targeting projects such as a smart city at places like Chibi Turn-Off.
President Mnangagwa first set the ball rolling on Chibi Turn-Off’s expansion and growth after he designated it as a business centre in a development that saw some communal land immediately around the centre, being incorporated into it.
Online Reporter