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Leonard Ncube, [email protected]

THE Lupane Town will for the first time have a functional council structure following the election of an inaugural council in the just-ended harmonised election.

Since the granting of town status in 1999, which gave birth to the Lupane Local Board (LLB), the local authority has been operating under the administration of a three-member commission.

These are Mrs Monica Ngwenya who has been chairperson since the 2013 elections after being appointed in 2012, Lupane State University (LSU) Vice-Chancellor Professor Pardon Kuipa, and Lupane District Development Coordinator, Mrs Ennerty Sithole, both of whom have served two terms.

With a population of more than 10 000, Lupane is a growing town with investment potential in areas of tourism and hospitality, events and conferences, horticulture, timber, and retail, among others.

So far projects that are underway and providing job opportunities for locals are the construction of the Lupane Provincial Hospital, Elitsheni Government Complex, LSU, and Bubi Lupane Irrigation Scheme while there is land set aside for investment in hotels and lodges, shopping mall, fuel garages, schools, an abattoir, housing flats, and others.

Lupane Town used to fall under Lupane West until last Wednesday when residents voted for new councillors in the four wards that make up Lupane Local Board.

The new councillors are Thando Nyoni of Ward 1, Leonard Dube of Ward 2, Ntokozo Mkhwebu of Ward 3, and Mfundo Sibanda, Ward 4, and are all members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). 

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC)

The commission is still in charge pending the swearing-in of the councillors and official communication from the Government in ending its terms as administrators.

In an interview, Mrs Ngwenya said they were waiting for official communication. 

“We  are waiting for official communication and so far there hasn’t been anything official on the way forward. We are hopeful the new councillors will carry on from where we left and pursue projects that the local board is pushing and even do better,” she said.

LLB is constructing a civic centre to have state -of-the-art offices and conference facilities, which will see the local authority widening its revenue base.

The project started a few years ago and slowed down due to financial challenges and the effects of Covid-19 pandemic. 

Meanwhile, Zanu-PF garnered seven wards in Lupane West Constituency although the House of Assembly seat was won by a CCC candidate.

In Lupane East Zanu-PF got eight wards and CCC which won the National Assembly seat, got seven.