In a press conference held on Friday November 25, 2022, the city of Masvingo Deputy Mayor, Cllr Wellington Mawende interacted with journalists from various media houses on City’s 2023 Budget Statement. The total budget is USD 23.6 million of which USD 17 million is expected to be generated internally while USD 6 million is expected to be funded from other sources such as Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers, Zinara grants and external loans.
The capital budget is USD 8.5 million while the recurrent budget is USD 15.1 million.
Expenditure allocations by program is as follows;
Governance and Administration USD 5.5 million
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene USD 7.2 million
Social services USD 7.2 million
Roads USD 2.3 million
Public safety and Security Services USD 1.2 million
Capital expenditure priorities
Education facilities USD 734, 000
Health facilities USD 631, 000
Water & Sewer Infrastructure USD 2.6 million
Roads and Storm Water Drainage USD 632,000
Social Amenities USD 2.9 million
Operational Assets USD 1 million

In his welcome remarks in the Mayor’s reception, the City Deputy Mayor Cllr Wellington Mawende highlighted the role of media and the benefits of meeting journalists to interact with them in city’s development because their contributions are seen by everyone and the impact, they bring in the society is more valuable. Because of that, the City of Masvingo organise a press conference quarterly to exchange ideas with journalists in a manner of responding everyone’s question and come up on building the Masvingo we want.
During the press conference there are some highlighted activities to be proud of in Masvingo in infrastructure where a new secondary school was built in 2021, with two new blocks now at roof level, opening of a new clinic, completion of Cambria landfill and rehabilitation of roads. Out of 268km of road network in the city, 189km were sealed, 97km – gravel to increase road trafficability in the city and more roads will be rehabilitated during this physical year of 2022/23.
On social economic developments different markets for nearly 1000 vendors were constructed, leisure parks inaugurated, Kernen Park among others
Responding to different questions raised by journalists, the City of Masvingo Deputy Mayor Cllr. Wellington Mawende said that many are being done to transform the city rapidly but the continuous partnership with citizens and different stakeholders will make it happen sooner and better.
As a takeaway, the Deputy Mayor recalled the vision of the City of Masvingo and asked them keep doing constructive media:

An Industrialised World Class Metropolitan City by 2030.

The City of Masvingo showcased local cultural artifacts at the 8th edition of the 2022 Great Limpopo Cultural Trade Fair held from the 11th to the 12th of November 2022 under the theme ‘Supporting indigenous creative entrepreneurship’ at Boli Muhlanguleni Cultural Village in Chiredzi.

The exhibition was held in celebration of the Great Limpopo Culture.
The exhibitions first kicked off in 2013 and took a long break due to the Covid19 pandemic. Exhibitors share cultural artifacts, experiences and different kinds of traditions like the Nyambela dance of the Tsonga (Machangani) who wear Bhabhela skirts to enhance their dancing as it is their tradition.

Indigenous artists, traditional leadership and organizations from the communities adjacent to the Great Limpopo showcased their different cultures, traditions, dressing and cultural dances.

In support of the program, organizations like Avuxen radio station, Ecocash holdings, Econet wireless, Nyaradzo Funeral Insurance (sahwira mukuru), Moonlight, Zimbabwe National parks, National Arts Council, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo Teachers College, Malilangwe Trust and Safe Ways Driving School also graced the occasion.

With the aim to improve service delivery to residents of Masvingo, a fleet of 4 new vehicles; a refuse compactor and 3 single cab trucks was unveiled at the council’s Civic Centre Offices on the 15th of November 2022.

The vehicles were acquired to augment the Council’s existing overstretched fleet.

The 3 service delivery vehicles will be strategically allocated to key departments to enhance the councils’ ability to better respond to service delivery challenges.

The 4 vehicles will be utilised within the Engineering and Health Departments. The 3 pickup trucks will be assigned to sections within the Engineering Department to reinforce a critical need of water supply, infrastructure development and sewer reticulation in Council.

The City of Masvingo Town Clerk, Eng. Edward Mukaratirwa welcomed the launch of the new fleet and said that the purchase of vehicles is a positive step towards realizing objectives of the local authority. He believes that this move by Council is finance well spent as it will ensure that services are delivered more efficiently.

Council will also be procuring additional vehicles to improve on service delivery in the near future. Details of this will be shared with residents and stakeholders.

#WorldCitiesDay – The City of Masvingo Mayor, Cllr. Collen Maboke challenged residents and stakeholders of the City not to think about cities by jumping straight to thinking about sky scrapers, roads, shopping malls, cars and other physical things we are surrounded by, instead think of cities as homes of well – being people.

The Vision of the City of Masvingo which was reached after a vigorous consultative process is ‘ To be an Industrialised World Class Metropolitan City by 2030 ‘. It expresses its unique local identity in relation to the history of mankind and human settlement (a once fortified city and unique Great Zimbabwe ruins) and represents the aspirations and sense of ownership of Masvingo by its stakeholders to be an inclusive # City4all. It also addresses the vision of the transition to be a smart city and e-governance.

More important than buildings in a city are public spaces like the civic centre and Kernen Park (city beautification), and a fast-growing industry (space for incubation hubs for technology and industrial parks). They are what make people want to live in a city and stay in that city. #ActLocaltogoGlobal.

Cities are about people. Contrary to what was done in the past, currently we are using stakeholder participation in all Council processes, from budgeting, policy formulation to strategic planning of the city. We are designing Masvingo to be people – oriented, to make it more comfortable. #OurCity.

City of Masvingo is holding a Strategic Planning Review Workshop aiming at aligning the Council’s strategic vision to the national strategic goals. The four-day workshop which will run from Monday 7 November until Thursday the 10th of November 2022, at Golden Peacock Villa Hotel in Mutare was officially opened by the Mayor, Cllr Collen Maboke.

Addressing delegates on the workshop objectives, City of Masvingo Town Clerk, Eng. Edward Mukaratirwa challenged participants to consistently familiarise themselves with the national strategic planning policy document to successfully respond to national goals highlighted in National Development Strategy1.

‘We have embarked on an exercise to review our Strategic Plan. This document details plans that we undertake from now up to the year 2025. The exercise involves engagement with our key stakeholders to input into this planning process. We have involved the business community, traders, residents’ associations, church-based organisations and SMEs to assist us as a local authority to put together a reviewed Strategic Plan. We are relooking into the existing strategic plan running from 2021 – 2025, recrafting our strategies, reprioritising so that it reflects the interests of Masvingo that are so current and that are in sync with the prevailing environment in the city and the country at large’, he said.

He also emphasised on the symbiotic relationship between the strategic plan and performance contracting.

The four – day workshop will among other issues focus on the review of the strategic plan of Council, milestones achieved, missed opportunities and future mapping, stakeholder expectations, strategic mapping; environmental scanning – PESTLEG and SWOT analysis, Strategic Mapping: Vision, Mission, Values and TORs, programmes and Performance Information Re – alignment, risks, mitigation, annual plan and performance contracting.

Other areas of focus of the workshop are the 5 key programmes that of, Governance and Administration, Sanitation and Hygiene, Social Services, Public Safety and Security and roads infrastructure.

Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Fund was launched on Wednesday the 2nd of November 2022, and has so far received RTGs 135 120 .00 cash, RTGS 232, 500.00 pledges, US$120.00 and US$10 pledges and RTGS112 500.00 worth of goods and other donations.

Last year, the fund raised RTGs 297 000 .00 which was distributed to several institutions.

Companies and organisations that donated towards the cheer fund in cash and goods include Great Zimbabwe Realtors, Zhirahuru Properties, OK Zimbabwe, Rujeko Secondary School, Runyararo Primary School, Vurombo Primary School, Dikwindi Primary School, Rujeko Primary School and individuals.

Those who wish to donate to the Cheer Fund in support of the less privileged members of our community should contact the Chamber Secretary or deposit direct to the Christmas Cheer Fund Accounts and submit proof of payment to the Finance Director.

Our banking details are as follows:
Forex Account
Name: City of Masvingo
Bank: ZB Bank
Account Number: 4407094505405
Swift Code: ZBCOZWHX
Branch: Masvingo
Bank Address: 378 Robert Mugabe Way,
Masvingo
ZWL Account
Name: City of Masvingo
Bank: ZB Bank
Account Number: 4407094505200
Branch: Masvingo
.

City of Masvingo received community nursing outreach equipment from one of its partners Africa Ahead organization on the 27^th of October 2022 at Masvingo Civic Center.

The donation was in support of the expanded program on immunization.A set of community nursing outreach equipment was received and this equipment will be used during outreach programmes since most clients are prefering to seek immunization services closer to their homes more than going to health centers. The program on immunization will also target adminstraion of covid-19 vaccine since there is a low uptake of the Booster dose of covid 19 This will benefit the community as a whole as Masvingo is targeting to reach 100% herd immunity against covid 19.

From the donations, the face masks and sanitizers are to be given to the disabled clients for free. A branded gazebo, chairs, folded table and ice packs are to be used by nurses who will be vaccinating people in the community.

The ceremony was indeed a remarkable event as His Worship the Mayor C. Maboke, Councilor Chiteme, Councilor Musekiwa, Town Clerk E. Mukaratirwa, District Development Coordinator Mr R. Hove and Council management were present. The partnership between City of Masvingo and Africa Ahead will forever be maintained in support of the EPI program in Masvingo.

The City of Masvingo joined the rest of the nation in creating clean and healthy spaces on Friday the 7th of October 2022 at Mamutse open ground in ward 2 by sweeping and picking up stray bits of litter.

The cleaning efforts are part of the national clean-up campaign, which has seen the nation declaring zero tolerance to litter and setting aside the first Friday of every month as a national clean-up day.

The exercise brought together various stakeholders and was graced by the District Development Co-ordinator, Mr Ray Hove and His Worship the Mayor of the City of Masvingo Cllr Collen. Maboke among others.

National CleanUp Day is held monthly and promotes country-scale organized and individual cleanup events and volunteering to keep the outdoors clean and prevent the spread of diseases.

“Clean up campaigns raise awareness about the scale of the litter problem and get the community thinking about changing their behaviour. Clean up actions are also an effective way to bring communities together and by enhancing social bonds, make people more appreciative of their common environment”, said the Chief Environmental Health Officer, Ms S. Madamamombe.

The exercise attracted more than 200 volunteers, and many truck loads of waste were collected.

The event was coordinated by the Department of Health Services in collaboration with Environmental Management Agency to clean up trash and litter in Ward 2.

The National Clean Up Day introduced the Tailored CleanUp program for businesses, institutions and cities. The program is available to any participating business, educational institution, land manager, government entity or nonprofit. Companies like Byword Motors, Jadecon Construction and OK Mart also joined the City Council in the clean up exercise.

As governed by the Urban Councils Act Cap 29:15, Public Finance Management Act, the Constitution of Zimbabwe and Circulars from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the City of Masvingo has started Budget Consultations in a bid to solicit residents’ inputs and budget priorities for the year 2023.

The Local Authority kickstarted the consultations with a meeting with Aldermen and Business Advisory Board today the 6th of October 2022 at its Civic Centre offices, in an attempt to map out engagement strategies for the 2023 budget consultation.

The meeting was followed by meetings in wards 1 and 3 the same day.

During the consultation meetings residents were given feedback on the 2022 budget perfomance to ensure that residents input into the 2023 budget being informed. Projects like Runyararo South West clinic financed from Intergovernmental Fiscal transfer (Devolution Funds), Landfill, Rujeko Secondary School, rehabilitation of roads under ERRP2 programme and market sheds were successfully implemented. Establishment of Rujeko D Housing Project is also progressing well.

Residents urged the local authority to introduce free medication at its Council clinics, rehabilitation of public toilets to combat vandalism among other issues which were raised.

“We are urging Council to consider rehabilitation of public toilets and ensure each household have its own toilet to avert vandalism of Council infrastructure. ”, said a resident of Ward 1

In terms of the Urban Councils Act 29:15 (288) (2) (a) when the estimates (budget) has been approved by council and approved by the mayor copies of the estimates (budget) are made available for public inspection.

Furthermore, Section 219 (2) of the Urban Councils Act 29:15 specify that before any tariff or charges come into operation “a statement setting out the proposed tariff” shall be advertised in two issues of newspapers and posted at Council offices for a period of not less than 30 days.

The law also provides room for residents to object to the proposed tariffs for reconsideration by Council in terms of Section 219 (3) (a) and (b) of the Urban Councils Act 29:15.

The budget consultations are a critical process of priority and tariff setting.

Despite declining revenue efficiency, City of Masvingo has managed to embark on construction of modern two-unit classroom blocks at Rujeko Secondary School in preparation for 2023 enrolment.

The state-of-the-art facility is set to enhance teaching and learning in Rujeko, a location which had gone for years without a secondary school. Construction of the new secondary school has since closed the yawning gap, since it will cater for the residents of Rujeko and other adjacent suburbs. Pupils were being forced to cross the main Masvingo – Beitbridge highway to schools such as Ndarama High School, Masvingo Christian College and Mucheke High School.

The school opened doors for Form One pupils on the 14th of February 2022 with an initial enrolment of 200 pupils.

It was financed with the Council resources.

Council will continue to invest in the provision of educational infrastructure since education is key to national development.