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Johnsias Mutonhori, [email protected]

GWERU City Council (GCC) got a major boost from Government when it took delivery of three fire tenders procured by the Second Republic on behalf of the country’s 92 local authorities using part of their 2021 devolution funds.

Prior to the latest development, the city has been operating with three fire tenders.

The fire tenders are set to improve national safety as a number of local authorities have been running with depleted fleets or no fire tenders at all.

From the disbursed devolution funds, the City of Gweru also managed to equip its main source of water, the Gwenhoro Dam by purchasing seven lift pumps, and a transformer.

Other equipment procured using devolution funds include an ambulance, refuse collection truck, tipper truck, tractor, front-end loader and 114 solar-powered street lights.

In his keynote address during the commissioning of the fire tenders at Gweru Fire Station on Wednesday, Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Owen Ncube said the acquisition of fire tenders buttresses Government’s commitment to support local authorities in terms of service delivery.

“The fire tenders were acquired through the resourceful initiative of the Second Republic as ably led by His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa. The provision of this critical equipment resonates well with the Government’s thrust of capacitating local authorities to enable them to fully undertake one of their essential mandates of civil protection,” he said.

“The acquisition and delivery of the fire tenders confirms the success of the new dispensation’s engagement and re-engagement policy. Indeed, Zimbabwe is a friend to all and an enemy to none as we pursue mutually beneficial co-operation, collaboration,and partnerships.”

Minister Ncube said the fire tenders were procured using devolution funds allocated to local authorities.

“This is a clear affirmation of our leadership’s will to operationalise the devolution and decentralisation policy through fiscal support to sub-national levels.”

Government has increased the allocation of funds in the 2024 national budget to promote and accelerate equitable development in communities and improving service delivery in line with the Second Republic philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind.

This year, Government acquired 133 Fire Tenders from Belarus as a direct mechanisation drive for improved public safety delivery by local authorities.

Minister Ncube challenged Gweru City Council and residents to play their part in ensuring sustainable quality service in different functions across the province which is in line with the smart city concept.

“I call upon the City of Gweru as well as all other local authorities in our province to focus on drainage systems, waste management, road maintenance, traffic lights, public lighting, recreational facilities, housing, and work spaces for SMEs to propel Local Economic Development,” he said.

“Residents need value for payments they make to local authorities. In this regard, local authorities should be conscious of their billing system from actual readings rather than estimates to ensure residents pay for the services they receive. This approach builds trust, improved relations, and unity of purpose as we all work towards building the city of progress we all want.”

Speaking during the same event, Gweru Mayor Councillor Martin Chivoko thanked the Government for the gesture, saying the local authority will establish more substations to reduce lead time.

“I am highly pleased, by the gesture of the Central Government to assist the local authority in procuring these fire tenders. Our vision as a city is to ensure that we have fire substations that will ensure proximity and efficiency for us when we attend to fires,” he said.

“We have had delays whereby we would be driving from this fire station to the scene which at times may be long distance from town. With substations, we will ensure that our reaction time is shorter.”

Clr Chivoko said the Government realised that the fire tenders are key in protecting lives and property hence it decided to assist councils to buy them.

“We have dedicated training facilities at this fire station, bearing in mind that the best emergency teams train vigorously and continuously. We have 51 firefighters, eight of which are women and 32 youths,” he said.