Chronicle Editor
Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
GOKWE Town Council has embarked on the construction of clinics, a school, classroom blocks, road repairs and rehabilitation of storm drains using devolution funds.
The local authority has this year received ZWL$22 million in devolution funds from central Government which it is using to fund implementation of various development projects meant to improve the people’s welfare.
Among the projects being implemented is the construction of a classroom block at the Vision Kunashe Primary School in Mapfungautsi suburb, clinics in Sesame suburbs and rehabilitation of roads.
Gokwe Town Council CEO, Mr Joshua Madlokuwa, said the first classroom block at Vision Kunashe Primary School is expected to be completed at the end of this month.
“We are constructing a classroom block at Vision Kunashe Primary School in Mapfungautsi suburb. We expect construction of the block to be completed by the end of this month,” said Madlokuwa.
The new school is expected to ease pressure on Gokwe Primary and CZM schools as well as reduce distance travelled by some pupils to these two schools.
“We have children who travel long distances to either Gokwe Primary or CZM. Some of them cross busy roads thereby exposing them to the danger of being hit by cars,” said Mr Madlokuwa.
He said clinics are being constructed in Mapfungautsi, Sesame 1, Sesame 2 and Njelele areas.
“We expect Mapfungautsi Polyclinic to serve more than 28 000 people. It will also reduce congestion at Gokwe Hospital and Cheziya Clinic. The polyclinic will have visiting doctors,” said Mr Madlokuwa.
The council also received ZWL$700 000 from Zinara for roads rehabilitation and repairs.
“The Zinara fund is augmenting the devolution funds the council received this year. We are using the money to rehabilitate and repair our road network. We are repairing all major roads in Gokwe town,” said Mr Madlokuwa.
He said work was also underway to repair storm drains in the town and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, the Gokwe South Rural District Council is planning to buy a rig for drilling boreholes around the district to address the problem of water shortage.
The district is facing serious water shortages in some areas hence the decision to drill more boreholes.
The council’s acting CEO, Mrs Dorothy Makoni said since inception of the devolution concept, livelihoods have been transformed in the district.
The district has received ZWL$48,5million in devolution funds since 2019. This year the council received ZWL$30,9 million.
“We are grateful to the Second Republic for providing us with devolution funds to enable us to implement life-changing projects,” said Mrs Makoni.
She said council wants most of the boreholes to be powered by solar especially those providing water to schools and clinics.
Mrs Makoni said a number of development projects were being implemented using devolution funds and were at different stages of completition.
“We are constructing a classroom block at Bengwe Secondary School in Sasame constituency and it’s now 90 percent complete. The other classroom block is under construction at Charama where we are also constructing a teacher’s house. We are also repairing a classroom block at Mwembesi Primary School in Mapfungautsi after its roof was blown away during a hailstorm,” she said.
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