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Emmah Chinyamutangira and Chipo Katsidzira
MUTARE City Council is seeking to complete all outstanding projects aimed at improving service delivery under the 100-day mayoral targets.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday, Mutare Mayor Councillor Blessing Thandi said council was undertaking several projects which were not completed last year.
He said several projects were at an advanced stage of completion, citing the construction of a school and clinic in Hobhouse among others.
“The 100-day plan managed to chart a new service delivery provision and restore ratepayers’ confidence.
“Some of the ambitious targets, which were to be attained by December 31 failed due to the economic crisis, however, these projects which have not been completed are still progressing,” he said.
“Construction of Hobhouse Primary School is now 86 percent complete.
“Two classrooms and one block of toilets have been roofed.
“Authority to establish the school has been granted by the Ministry of (Primary and Secondary) Education and we are now awaiting the authority to open the school. So far the ministry has provided us with five teachers.”
Mr Thandi said the construction of a clinic in the same area had been a priority for the authority in 2018.
He said the clinic was now functional and was serving a huge number of residents in Hobhouse.
“The Hobhouse Clinic, which was meant to de-congest city clinics and improve health service delivery, has been completed.
“It is now operating seven days a week and providing health services.
“Dangamvura and city centre clinics are also operating seven days a week,” he said.
Director of health services Dr Antony Mutara said the clinic was operating well and health services were being provided at affordable prices, adding that the clinic was offering free antiretroviral drugs.
Mutare City has also been moving to improve refuse collection and Mayor Thandi said this had been made easier through the acquisition of utility vehicles last year. He said the authority had acquired three refuse compacters, backhoe loader and four utility vehicles that were operating.
The mayor also stressed the importance of completing the road maintenance projects that had begun last year.
“We failed to repair major roads due to price increase of the materials.
“However Dangamvura foot bridge is almost completed as well as Blessing Makunike Road, which delayed due to unfavourable climate conditions for road construction.
“On pothole patching, not much progress was registered due to the foreign currency to procure bituminous,” he said.
He said council would implement temporary measures of putting gravel on the roads to ensure that they were passable as they mobilise resources to roll out tar pothole patching at the end of the rainy season.
Online Reporter