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Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
MASVINGO City Council’s ambitious $4 million solar street lights project is in limbo after its implementation was stopped with only 28 out of the intended 580 lights installed.
The project which is spearheaded by a Christian organisation, Joshua Generation is intended to cover the central business district and some residential areas.
Council and the organisation had reached a deal in which Joshua Generation would get free advertising space on the solar street lights for 15 years.
But the lights have been installed along Robert Mugabe Street only.
Masvingo town clerk Mr Adolf Gusha said they were set to meet the contractor over the project’s stoppage.
“We are also worried with the stoppage of the project and we are engaging them. We have written to them asking about the abrupt stoppage and we are yet to get feedback. We will only know what their challenges are when they respond to our communication,” said Mr Gusha.
He said council will not put pressure on the organisation.
“We are limited in scope so we cannot put pressure on them. We are not paying anything to Joshua Generation as council.
“The agreement we signed stipulates that the organisation will install the street lights for free and recoup the returns from advertising on the street lights for 15 years,” said Mr Gusha.
“Instead of residents looking for faults they should thank council for such good initiatives but I would not know if the stoppage has anything to do with the shortage of money or not.”
The project once torched a storm with residents complaining that tender procedures had not been observed.
However, Mr Gusha defended the move saying tender regulations only apply when council is paying something to the contractor, which it had not done in this case.
Efforts to get a comment from Joshua Generation chairman Mr Xavier Mzembi were fruitless at the time of going to press.
— @walterbmswazie2.
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