Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo , [email protected]
UMGUZA Rural District Council is developing the Ntabazinduna area into a smart city, with the industrial corridor on the Ntabazinduna Road turn-off from the Bulawayo-Harare Road already taking shape.
Smart city developments are gaining global popularity for their ability to enhance urban living through advanced information and communication technologies (ICTs) and sustainable practices. These cities are designed to improve operational efficiencies, public services, and overall quality of life.
The initiative is part of the Zimbabwe National Human Settlement Plan (ZNHSP), which aims to address deficiencies in previous housing policies and contribute to Vision 2030. It also aligns with President Mnangagwa’s directive for local authorities to develop and implement masterplans for improved service delivery.
Speaking during the commissioning of the resurfaced and tarred 2km Ntabazinduna Road, officiated by the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Engineer Benjamin Kabikira, who was representing Minister Daniel Garwe, Umguza RDC Engineer Queen Masocha said they have also pegged 2 000 residential stands, which will further boost their revenue inflows.
“Ntabazinduna is poised to be developed into a smart city, and that project is included in the newly approved masterplan for Umguza District. Development of an industrial corridor is already taking shape while 2 000 residential stands have been pegged,” said Engineer Masocha.
She said the district was also working on its road network for ease of doing business and accessibility, which come with smart city development. The district has a road network of 1 200km, with the local authority superintending over 740km of the network.
“The target for the year 2024 under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP2) is 370km of road network across the district, whose scope will be maintenance grading, gravelling, and construction of drainage structures,” she said.
Besides the smart city concept, which is already taking shape, Engineer Masocha said in response to the Call to Action blueprint, which calls for improved service delivery and no compromise to service delivery in local authorities, and also in line with NDS1, focusing on all the 14 thematic areas, Umguza Rural District Council embarked on infrastructural projects which focused on water and sanitation, health, education, infrastructure and utilities, and the digital economy, which involves automation of Council systems and GIS technology.
Umguza RDC becomes the second local authority in Matabeleland North province to embark on a smart city project after Bubi announced a similar plan for Nkenyane, about 23km from Bulawayo.
Council plans to develop the smart city on 1 300 hectares of land secured through a joint venture with local farm owners.
This initiative addresses the limitations faced by the Inyathi District Service Centre, which struggles with land scarcity and an increasing demand for housing, with nearly 2 000 people on the waiting list.
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