daniel chigunwe
Conrad Mupesa Mash West Bureau
DEVOLUTION funds being released to local authorities by central Government for developmental purposes, have helped Chegutu Rural District Council to acquire road construction equipment for the first time since independence.
Chegutu RDC last procured yellow equipment in the 1970s.
The Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa introduced devolution funds in 2019, in line with constitutional provisions, and the funds have helped councils, especially those not led by corrupt opposition officials, to improve service delivery.
Speaking on Wednesday during the commissioning of a grader and a pneumatic roller purchased using the council’s share of the 2022 devolution funds, Chegutu RDC chairperson Councillor Tatenda Gwinji said the funds had helped them end their 50-year curse of failing to procure heavy machinery needed for road making and maintenance.
“The last equipment for road maintenance and marking was purchased in the 1970s,” said Clr Gwinji.
“We are grateful to President Mnangagwa for introducing devolution funds that have made it possible for us to procure the equipment we are commissioning today.
“The President said we are the economic enablers of the districts that we represent as councils and as such, we should push our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).”
Clr Gwinji said the commissioning event might have appeared small to those that don’t share the President’s vision, but for them, the development “means a lot”.
Senator Chief Ngezi (born Peter Pasipamire) who hails from Chegutu District, said the equipment will help improve accessibility of most roads in the area.
“The road that links my homestead with the Selous-Turf Highway is only 4km but one needs more than 15 minutes to drive,” he said.
Long-serving councillor for Ward 12, Alderman Farai Charakatenda said the community views the good roads as a sign of good governance by the council.
“We can’t talk of good governance by councils if roads are bad because the community benchmarks our performance through the roads. “Through the equipment that we purchased using devolution funds, we are guaranteed to provide good and passable roads to our communities,” said Clr Charakatenda, who has served Chegutu RDC for over 20 years.
Ward 24 representative, Clr Rose Matambo, whose area has also had a clinic constructed through devolution funds, said the new equipment would improve movement of grain and farm produce.
“I am one of the female councillors that voted for the procurement of this equipment because bad roads affected movement of patients, especially pregnant women, to clinics and hospitals and this risked their lives,” she said.
Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, said rural councils were faced with the mammoth task of pushing the devolution agenda.
“The Second Republic wants development through the NDS 1 (National Development Strategy 1). Let us therefore use the money you are receiving under devolution for its intended purposes and councils should always involve the community,” she said.
Devolution funds, said Minister Mliswa-Chikoka, are supposed to be used for high-impact projects such as construction of schools, clinics and roads.
She challenged councillors to bury their political differences when dealing with developmental issues for the benefit of the people they represent. Minister Mliswa-Chikoka applauded Chegutu RDC for effectively using its share of devolution funds by procuring equipment that would be used for road construction.
Online Reporter