Story by Gay Matambo
2023 disbursements of devolution funds have seen Chiredzi Town Council embarking on infrastructure development projects which include road maintenance exercise across the town and construction of two culverts in the new Makondo high-density residential area.
The two culverts in Makondo will link the residential area to Tshovani Bus Terminus and Chiredzi Town Centre.
“We are happy that this project is finally being implemented. A number of accidents would occur especially at night because there was no bridge to connect this side and the other side. We are truly grateful,” said one of the residents.
Another added, “We are happy with this project because this community was struggling. Our lives will surely change for the better.”
“As a business community, we feel relieved and we are happy that the government is developing small towns like Chiredzi through the devolution programme. This project is surely a welcome development,” another resident noted.
Construction works of the culverts are expected to be complete in the next two weeks, while most roads in Chiredzi town have undergone maintenance.
“These culverts are going to be complete within 14 working days. Commuter omnibuses were failing to reach this other side of Makondo area coming from town. After the completion of this project, the situation will change for the better. Traffic from the main road will be reduced because vehicles will be able to pass through Makondo to the taxi rank and into town,” said Chiredzi Town Council Roads Technician, Engineer Prisca Chanaka.
Local leadership believes the devolution programme has become the main anchor of development in communities.
Chiredzi Town Chairperson, Councillor Jameson Charumbira said, “As Council, we want to develop road infrastructure, especially in the new residential areas. We are waiting for more funding so that we can finish off these projects. We are also patching potholes in town and other residential areas with tarred roads.”
“We have here a project which has been funded by devolution funds and we want to thank the works of our visionary President Emmerson Mnangagwa who has fully implemented the devolution programme under the Second Republic. This project had been budgeted for a long time back but we are happy that it has finally been implemented,” said Chiredzi Assistant District Development Co-ordinator, Ms Patience Mawarire.
Devolution is a Second Republic developmental model expected to play a pivotal role in the transformation of communities in line with Vision 2030.
