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Michael Magoronga, [email protected]

KWEKWE City Council has embarked on a number of milestone projects which have transformed lives following the disbursement of devolution funds.

The local authority received $350 million which it has channelled towards the construction of a clinic, school and a drug rehabilitation centre among other devolution projects.

The funds from the Government are part of a $1 billion allocation of devolution funds for the local authority for the year 2023.

Since 2019, the council has embarked on a number of breakthrough projects that have benefited the local community including the conversion of a council bar into an Infectious Diseases Hospital.

The institution was commissioned by Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care.

Other completed projects include the refurbishment of Mbizo 7 houses, the construction of Prince Park market, the farmers market and the refurbishment of the water works among others.

The running projects are at different stages of completion with Chana B Primary School already operational.

A classroom block with four classrooms, offices and ablution facilities has already been constructed and lessons are currently underway.

The school is meant to ease pressure from another council owned school, Chana Primary School, which has more than 2 000 learners. About 600 learners have already enrolled at the new school.

Speaking during a tour of the projects recently, Kwekwe City Council acting town clerk Mr Edson Chiyangwa said funds permitting, the construction of Chana B Primary School and Ward 14 Clinic should be complete by the end of the year.

“We’re in the process of completing the administration block so that the school can be totally independent from Chana Primary. The school has also shortened distances travelled by some learners who come from new suburbs like Mbizo 15, 20, 21, and other surrounding areas,” said Mr Chiyangwa.

He said another classroom block is earmarked for construction as well as other projects such as the drilling of a borehole and fencing of the school to avoid vandalism.

Turning to the construction of a clinic, Mr Chiyangwa said the site had been fenced while temporary shelter had been put in place. He said construction is progressing well and should be complete by the end of year.

Located in Msasa Park, the clinic will service people form Msasa, Newtown Golden Acres and Southwood among other areas.

The nearest clinic to residents from these areas is in Al-Davis near the Kwekwe Central Business District which is far.

“We’re looking to shorten the distance that people were travelling to Al-Davis Clinic in town. Currently, some of the staffers are already operating from there using temporary structures but we want to expedite the construction so that upon the onset of the rains, we would have completed the construction,” he said.

The drug rehabilitation project is a massive one and a first of its kind in the province.

“We’re converting a bar that was lying idle into a drug rehabilitation centre. We will also construct holding cells and hostels. There will be tight security so that everyone is safe. We wanted to complete the project this year but there seems to be a lot of work to be done so maybe it might spill over into next year,” said Mr Chiyangwa.

He said the sewer rehabilitation project in Amaveni had been stalled as a result of families demanding that they repair graves damaged by the contractor.

An excavator damaged some graves while digging sewer lines which run across the Amaveni Cemetery last year and some families are demanding that council repair the graves first before they continue.

“We’re therefore looking at ways of repairing the graves first. After that, we have the hope that we will be able to continue with the project as we seek to put bigger pipes to avoid recurrent bursts in the area,” he said.

The local authority is also repairing damaged roads as it seeks to make them trafficable.

Mr Chiyangwa called on government to work on early disbursement of funds to avoid project delays and the money being eroded by inflation.