The city will not die: Acting Mayor

28 May, 2021 - 00:05 0 Views
The city will not die: Acting Mayor

Suburban

Acting Harare Mayor Councillor Musarurwa Mutizwa has vowed that said the City of Harare will not die as it is an institution that cannot be easily destroyed.

Diana Nherera Suburban Reporter

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting held Town House on Wednesday this week, Cllr Mutizwa said although he is in an acting capacity, he will do his best to ensure that the city’s name is not brought into disrepute and there is continuity at council.

“This council will not die because this is an institution that you are not able to destroy.

“There are many who came and were accused of stealing all sorts of things but this institution will not die.

“This Mutizwa will not destroy this council,” he said.

“This is the reason why we are engaging you the residents to make sure that the barometer is still full because we cannot mark our own exam,” said Cllr Mutizwa.

He said the team of councillors that is left is supportive of the goings-on at council.

“The team of councillors that we have might not be visible in some instances but are very supportive in every step that we are making.

“We are doing team building where we come together and openly discuss our differences and now we are working as one team,” said Cllr Mutizwa. 

He said even though there are people at council working in an acting capacity including himself, there are results that are being produced.

Cllr Mutizwa also spoke of inclusiveness where no one is left out on the happenings at the city council.

The meeting addressed service delivery issues such as the council 2021 budget, water, waste management, roads and health services.

Harare Water says the supply coverage is 65, 85 percent as at May 2021.

Borrowdale and Domboshava now receive water on Wednesdays to Fridays although there are some challenges for Borrowdale.

Hatcliffe receives water on Thursdays and Fridays while Ashbrittle gets water from Fridays up to Tuesdays.

Harare Water said they attended to 497 burst pipes in January this year out of the 566 reports citywide and in February, 387 burst pipes out of reported bursts of 509.

In March this year, 687 burst pipes were attended to and 628 were repaired last month.

The progress made on prepaid metering is 10 percent, which started last month and ends in July this year.

The city’s top 500 customers are expected to benefit from the project.

Harare Water said although the city’s pipes are over 60 years old, their replacement has been deferred as money is not available.

There is also no money for pipe replacement in Mandara and Greendale although Harare Water says it is a critical exercise.

Acting director of works, Engineer Mutume said as part of its short to medium term plans, they will engage relevant Government Ministries in order to secure four identified landfills which will be shared with surrounding local authorities.

He added that dumping of garbage by individuals at Pomona dumpsite shall be free although this does not apply to commercial garbage collectors.

Eng Mutume said as part of their immediate action plans, they are working on the prevention of the occurrence of fires at the dumpsite during summer.

According to the department of works, roads will be funded under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP).

Pothole patching will be carried out on Prince Edward, Connaught and King George Roads next month at a cost of US$45 750, 00 under ERRP2 Phase 1 and 2.

In September this year, there will be a junctions’ improvement on Lomagundi Road (now called Nemakonde) and Harare Drive at a cost of US$48 800, 00 under ERRP2 phase 1 and 2 funding.

Filter lanes will be added to Kirkman Road (now called Solomon Mujuru) and Harare Drive and the widening on lanes on Kirkman Road at a cost of US$120 000. 

This will be done under phase three of the ERRP in January next year.

Filter lanes and space that will make the roundabout bigger are expected to be added on the Harare Drive and Mutare Road roundabout.

The project’s cost is US$1 250 000 and will be included in ERRP’s Phase 3 in January next year.

Filter lanes are expected to be added to the Westgate roundabout on Lomagundi Road in January next year at a cost of US$280 000 under ERRP’s phase three.

Widening of Kirkman Road in Mabelreign and Alpes Road in Borrowdale will carried out next year at a cost of US$6 175 000, 00 and US$4 125 000,00 respectively.

The projects will be carried out under ERRP 2 phase 3 budget.    

Traffic lights will be installed on Harare Drive and Acturus Roads, Enterprise and Ridgeway South and Mutare and Donnybrook Roads.

Harare Drive and Gaydon Road intersection was listed among those needing traffic lights but since a roundabout was already built, the money will be allocated to other roads.

On Monday Cllr Mutizwa told journalists that council had been allocated RTGS$400m for road rehabilitation under devolution funds.

He said the city had so far received RTGS$46m.

“The money we received from devolution funds varies from one area to the other.

“For money for roads, so far we have received direct into our coffers RTGS$46m and we are in the process of receiving the other one which we are yet to be clear on the figure but as Harare Metropolitan, we were allocated RTGS$400m for all the three local authorities and Harare being the biggest, for obvious reasons, we have the biggest chunk,” he said.

Most roads in the northern suburbs are badly potholed although the city council recently started patching the potholes.  

The roads patched include Solomon Mujuru Drive (formerly Kirkman Drive), Mutare Road (Msasa area), Samora Machel Avenue, Robert Mugabe Road, the stretch of Bulawayo Road close to the National Heroes Acre and Glenara Avenue.

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