The Sunday Mail
Conrad Mupesa and John Murwira
ZVIMBA Rural District Council (ZRDC) has upgraded over 30 primary and secondary schools after using funds provided by the Government under the devolution programme.
Zvimba North and Zvimba West constituencies are the biggest beneficiaries with ten schools each, while Zvimba South and Zvimba East have both seen five schools being spruced up.
ZRDC chief executive officer Mr Enias Chidakwa said communities in Zvimba now have better access to education.
“Our major focus has been on educational facilities. A number of schools in the district were in bad shape. In some cases, learners had to resort to using tobacco barns and thatched sheds for learning, while also walking long distances. With the devolution funds, schools are being built and some are being refurbished,” he said.
“We applaud President Mnangagwa for fast-tracking the implementation of devolution, which has proven to be a game-changer and a major contributor to the attainment of Vision 2030, which speaks of an upper middle-income economy by 2030.”
Mr Chidakwa said council was prioritising allocating funds to areas where they are needed the most.
ZRDC Engineer Tapiwa Onismo Nhemwa said service delivery for the local authority had greatly improved.
“The IGFT (intergovernmental fiscal transfers) target infrastructure development in water, health, education and roads. The establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Task Force provided initial proposals on the IGFT formula, which takes into account population, physical infrastructure gaps and poverty prevalence.
“Devolution and the funding of various socio-economic projects through IGFT has helped not just the economic recovery, but also improved quality of life and the environment. We have managed to improve access to education, primary healthcare, proper sanitation and clean water.”
Council chairperson councillor Piwai Chipunza weighed in:
“We really applaud the Government for availing devolution funds to councils, as this has positively contributed to improved service delivery. Communities across the district are happy with the changes they are witnessing.”
