Gweru City Council not impressed with allocation of funds, fuel

GWERU City Council has expressed dissatisfaction with the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) over the allocation of funds and fuel, which has hindered the council’s efforts to repair its severely potholed road network.

This shortfall has resulted in the council’s inability to undertake essential road rehabilitation projects, worsening the condition of the city’s roads

Addressing the 713th ordinary full council meeting held at the townhouse on Tuesday, Gweru mayor Councillor Martin Chivhoko noted that the roads are in a poor state, adding that they are facing challenges in maintaining them due to inadequate funding from Zinara.

“As a local authority, we are not happy with Zinara. We want an explanation of the issue of fuel allocation for the year 2024 versus disbursed fuel. We were allocated 30 329 litres, but we managed to get 4 000 litres, translating to 13 percent yet other local authorities were given 100 percent of their fuel allocations,” he said.

Clr Chivhoko said over ZiG10, 7 million was budgeted for the city, but they only managed to get over ZiG5, 6 million, translating to 53 percent, while other local authorities got 100 percent of their budgeted allocations.

“We have asked management to engage with Zinara to find a solution and to ensure that the roads are safe and accessible to all,” he said.

Clr Chivhoko said the local authority is committed to transparency and open communication, which is essential in terms of improving service delivery.

“We understand the importance of a reliable water supply, and we are working hard to ensure that water is pumped as per schedule,” he said.

Clr Chivhoko, however, noted that power challenges at the water works sometimes make it difficult for the local authority to meet scheduled pumping times.

“We want to assure you that we are in constant communication with the power utility to resolve this issue and ensure a steady water supply. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter and encourage you to report any water supply issues to our offices,” he said.

Clr Chivhoko said the local authority is committed to finding a lasting solution to the prevailing water challenges.

“As council, we are also experiencing challenges with sewer blockages, often caused by improper disposal of waste.

We have retrieved items such as dogs, sanitary products and kitchen utensils from the sewer lines, which is not only costly but also poses health risks.

The mayor urged residents to dispose of waste properly and to refrain from pouring hazardous materials down the drain.

“We are committed to finding a solution to this problem and ensuring that our sewerage system functions efficiently.

We appeal to all residents to take responsibility for their actions and to work with us to keep our city clean and healthy,” he said.

Clr Chivhoko said the council is working on improving the drainage systems.

“We understand the importance of a well-maintained infrastructure and we are committed to finding solutions to these challenges. We appeal to all residents to report any road or drainage issues to our offices and to work with us to build a better infrastructure for our city, “he said.

Clr Chivhoko said the local authority has cleared several dump sites around the city and is following the refuse collection schedule.

“We encourage residents to report any dump sites and to refrain from creating new ones. We are committed to keeping our city clean and healthy, and we appeal to all residents to work with us to achieve this goal,” he said.

Clr Chivhoko urged residents to pay their bills promptly to enable the local authority to improve service delivery.

“We welcome the upcoming investigation team, which will provide an opportunity for us to address concerns and improve our services. We believe that transparency and accountability are essential for building trust between the local authority and our residents, and we are committed to co-operating fully with the investigation team,” he said.