adminYeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
Government, through the Civil Protection Unit, has released $197 000 and 5 000 litres of fuel to cash-strapped Chitungwiza Municipality to enable it to deal with sanitary issues in the dormitory town.
The fuel would facilitate the collection of refuse by council and the money would go towards hiring more refuse trucks, purchasing of protective clothing and chemicals.
The assistance came a time when the local authority had been failing to collect refuse during the past two months, prompting Zanu-PF councillors to seek Government’s assistance to prevent the recurrence of water borne diseases.
Speaking during the hand over at the Chitungwiza head office on Wednesday, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Jennifer Mhlanga said they will continue to help the municipality.
“We will continue to assist Chitungwiza until the town is clean again,” she said. “We feel that this initiative will go a long way in ensuring that we continue to give adequate services to our people.
“This is also meant to avoid catastrophes like the one we experienced in Glen View, the cholera outbreak last year.”
Mrs Mhlanga implored District Administrator Mrs Zivanai Chisango to ensure that the municipality did not abuse the resources.
She later toured some illegal dump sites and suburbs in the company of Civil Protection Unit director Mr Jonathan Nkomo, principal director for Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage Mr Christopher Shumba, Zanu-PF Harare provincial secretary for administration George Mashavave and some councillors.
Zanu-PF Harare provincial chairperson Cde Godwills Masimirembwa, who was involved in lobbying for the intervention commended Government’s efforts in restoring the dignity of Chitungwiza.
“We came through with our councillors to request for urgent assistance from central Government and we want to thank you for this response which shows that we are on a recovery trajectory. Government is at the forefront of ensuring that the cleanliness that is expected in our town is restored,” he said.
Chitungwiza acting town clerk Dr Tonderai Kasu thanked Government for timeously assistance.
“We have had difficulties in procuring fuel from our traditional suppliers and this disrupted our refuse collection schedule, resulting in us failing to attend to sewer bursts cases,” he said.
“We are very grateful for the intervention and we will do our best to assist our community.”
Online Reporter