Chronicle Editor
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE impending relocation of the Matabeleland North Government offices from Bulawayo to Lupane has been described as a historic milestone, with the Second Republic receiving accolades for finally bringing a long-standing vision that fulfills the constitutional provision of devolution to fruition.
Scheduled for September 1, 2024, the move will see most Government departments moving from their current base at Mhlahlandlela Government Complex in Bulawayo to the Welshman Mabhena Complex in Lupane — the province’s capital.
In an interview, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Richard Moyo said the long-awaited shift was commendable and overdue, having originally been proposed more than three decades ago.
“Since the 1980s, Governors who were there worked from Bulawayo’s Mhlahlandlela Complex, even us who are now Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution under the Second Republic have been working from there. The coming in of President Mnangagwa brought in a lot of activity in the area of construction leading to the completion of the offices and the houses so that officers could relocate to Lupane.
“From September 1, 2024 heads of departments for many of our departments will relocate to the Lupane Complex. About 85 percent of them will relocate. I had promised that in the second or third quarter of the year, we will be in Lupane and we are going there,” said Minister Moyo.
He said Government workers in the province were excited about the relocation as it would allow them to be closer to the people they serve.
“People are delighted about this final move to Lupane, this means that we will now be able to provide services right where the people are, we are not closer to them. We are grateful to President Mnangagwa and the Second Republic for all the effort to ensure offices move to Lupane from Bulawayo,” said Minister Moyo.
Last week, Cabinet considered the report on the relocation of Matabeleland North Provincial Offices from Bulawayo Metropolitan Province to Lupane Centre, which was presented by Vice-President Kembo Mohadi.
The Vice-President visited Lupane Centre in Matabeleland North Province on June 20 to establish the state of readiness of the civil servant housing units and the Government complex offices for occupancy while also checking on the status of the construction work at the Lupane Provincial Hospital.
Dr Jenfan Muswere, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services reported that the civil servants’ houses were 90 percent complete while the Government complex was complete.
“The houses can be immediately completed, while the Government Offices can also be utilised before the end of the third quarter of 2024. Fifty-five Government officials have volunteered to immediately relocate to Lupane and are ready to move. A total of 19 houses have already been allocated to the 55 Government officials from the various ministries, departments and agencies. Accordingly, the public will be served from the provincial capital, Lupane with effect from 1st September 2024,” said Dr Muswere.
The Second Republic has been pushing the decentralisation agenda with services going to where the people are as opposed to previous years. Registry offices have been moved to various districts in the provinces and it is now convenient and easy for the public to assess passports, national identity documents, birth and death certificates at less or no travelling costs.
Infrastructure development has also been top on the agenda with the Lupane Provincial Hospital, a 250-bed institution that is almost complete expected to ease pressure from hospitals like United Bulawayo Hospitals and Mpilo Central Hospital, which are serving as referral centres for the province. — @NyembeziMu
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