The City of Masvingo has strengthened its commitment to inclusive development by partnering with development partners like Gender Links to roll out comprehensive women and youths empowerment programs aimed at poverty alleviation and economic upliftment.

Through this collaboration, women,youths and men from diverse backgrounds are being equipped with essential skills, resources, and opportunities to start and expand income-generating projects, improve livelihoods, and build resilient communities.

Women and youths are key agents of transformation. Empowering them economically reduces poverty and boosts family and community well-being.

Program Highlights Include:

– Access to small grants and micro-financing

– Mentorship and capacity building

– Cooperative formation and formalization

– Gender rights awareness and leadership development

These programs are being implemented with the support of the local authority, with special focus on marginalized and vulnerable groups in all City of Masvingo’s ten (10) wards.

The municipality continues to call for more partnerships that promote sustainable development and gender equity at the local level.

The City of Masvingo in partnership with Gender Links has launched a training program aimed at strengthening the capacity of women, youths and men in floriculture (Masvingo Flora) through skills development in revenue generation, sales, marketing, cost management, and operations sustainability.

Held at Bethany on the 22nd of May, the workshop brought together women, youths and men from across the City of Masvingo’s municipal boundaries, focusing on practical tools to grow and sustain cooperative businesses.

Empowering women with entrepreneurial skills is essential for inclusive local economic development. This collaboration demonstrates the City’s and development partner’s commitment to gender equality and community empowerment.

Key Training Areas Included:

– Identifying multiple revenue streams

– Basic bookkeeping and cost control

– Branding, pricing, and local market penetration

– Long-term planning for cooperative growth and sustainability

Participants expressed appreciation for the training, noting the relevance of the content in enhancing their business operations.

The City of Masvingo has commenced a critical Service Delivery Charter Review Workshop aimed at strengthening Council’s commitment to accountable, transparent, and stakeholder-focused governance.

The workshop brings together councilors, key Council officials, community representatives, and stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of the current charter and propose updates that reflect emerging service delivery needs and national standards.

This review allows for alignment of service commitments with practical realities, stakeholder expectations, and the Council performance management framework.

Workshop Focus Areas:

– Evaluation of current service standards and delivery timelines

– Identification of service gaps and bottlenecks

– Integration of stakeholder feedback and complaint mechanisms

– Alignment with national minimum service delivery standards

– Development of action plans for implementation and monitoring.

The updated charter is expected to improve communication between Council and its stakeholders to ensure service quality, and enhance public trust.

The review process is scheduled to conclude with a public validation session to ensure inclusivity and community ownership.

The City of Masvingo in conjunction with the Dialogue on Shelter Trust successfully hosted a seminar on land tenure on the 15th of May at Great Zimbabwe University campus bringing together key stakeholders to reflect on land administration experiences and map out strategic directions for the future.

The seminar provided a platform for urban planners, legal experts, Council representatives, landowners, and community representatives to share insights on tenure security, land allocation procedures in Masvingo city, and development control within the city.

Understanding land tenure is crucial for inclusive development. This seminar helped participants to understand property rights, cession, how to acquire property in Masvingo, title deeds procedure among many other issues discussed.

Topics covered included:

– Legal frameworks governing land rights

– Legal Processes in Securing Tenure

– Conflict Resolution on Lease and Rentals

– Steps in Securing Tenure in Masvingo

By emphasizing secure land tenure,the forum sought to underscore its vital role in fostering sustainable urban development and enhancing the living standards of those residing in informal settlements.

The seminar provided a platform for diverse stakeholders to share their experiences, best practices, and innovative solutions to land tenure issues, aiming to create a more equitable and secure urban environment.

The seminar concluded with recommendations on strengthening sensitization programs to raise awareness on land tenure issues.

The City of Masvingo has commenced a major drain lining project in residential areas to improve stormwater drainage and prevent flooding during the rainy season.

The project involves reinforcing open drains with concrete linings to ensure durability, efficient water flow, and reduced erosion.

Areas currently under development include Mucheke and Chesvingo, with more areas scheduled in the coming phases.

This initiative is part of the Council’s broader infrastructure upgrade plan aimed at enhancing public safety and environmental protection.

The City of Masvingo is currently conducting a two – day induction workshop for School Development Committee (SDC) members aimed at strengthening school governance and community involvement in education.

The workshop, which is being held at Great Zimbabwe Hotel, brought together newly elected SDC members from various schools within Council.

Sessions are focusing on key areas including establishement of SDCs, composition of SDCs, handover/takeover, roles and responsibilities of SDCs, functions of SDC, role of responsible authority, recruitment and selection procedures, financial management, audit observation, BEAM, school vehicle policy, school infrastructure development, and collaboration with school heads and council structures.

Empowering SDCs with knowledge and skills ensures that schools are effectively managed and that development is community-driven.

Council reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with schools and communities to improve the learning environment and ensure every child has access to quality education.

In a vibrant display of community and camaraderie, the City of Masvingo recently participated in a series of friendly sports matches involving Council staff and various teams at Neshuro growth point on Saturday the 3rd of May 2025.

The initiative is part of ongoing efforts to promote employee wellness, team-building for improved service delivery.

Matches were held in soccer, netball, chess, tug of war and volleyball, bringing together staff members and communities. The games were not just about competition, but about unity, fitness, and fun.

Council plans to make the friendly matches a regular activity, reinforcing a culture of engagement and holistic well-being.

The City of Masvingo joined the rest of the country in observing the National Clean-Up Campaign, reinforcing its commitment to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.

Councilors, council officials, staff, local residents, community organizations, and business partners came together to clean streets, open spaces, and public facilities in the central business district.

Cleanliness is not just a one-day event but a lifestyle. This campaign is a reminder that people share the responsibility to maintain a healthy environment for current and future generations.

The clean-up covered areas including Garikai Fruits and Vegetables Market, Chimusana bridge and Chikato Police Station area, with active participation from business partners, government officials, and support groups.

The city encourages all residents to continue observing monthly clean-up days and to adopt sustainable waste management habits in their homes and workplaces.

In a show of transparency and commitment to good governance, the City of Masvingo Executive and technocrats officially signed performance appraisal documents before the Mayor, Cllr Aleck Tabe, at a brief ceremony held at the Civic Centre Offices on the 30th of April 2025.

The performance appraisals reflect the executive’s accountability in meeting key targets and service delivery benchmarks as outlined in the Council’s strategic plan.

The Mayor commended the executive for upholding professional standards and leading by example in fostering a performance-driven culture.

The process affirms Council’s dedication to accountability and delivering quality service to residents and ratepayers.

This event marks a positive step toward strengthening internal performance management systems and ensuring that leadership remains focused on results that benefit the residents and rate payers.