The City of Masvingo is celebrating another significant milestone in the delivery of quality healthcare services after the newly commissioned Runyararo Clinic Maternity Ward successfully welcomed its first baby this morning.

A healthy baby boy was born to Mrs Ashley Njenjera, marking the first delivery at the state-of-the-art maternity facility, which was officially opened last week by the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Hon. Ezra Chadzamira.

The facility was established to improve access to safe, quality maternal healthcare for residents of Runyararo, Victoria Ranch and surrounding communities.

The successful delivery represents a major achievement for the City of Masvingo and demonstrates the immediate impact of the new maternity ward in bringing essential healthcare services closer to the people.

Speaking after the delivery, His Worship the Mayor Cllr Aleck Tabe expressed delight at the safe arrival of the baby and congratulated Mrs Njenjera and her family on the joyous occasion. Handing over a hamper to Mrs Njenjera, Mayor Tabe described the birth as a symbol of hope and a testament to the City’s continued investment in strengthening maternal and child healthcare services.

The new maternity ward is expected to reduce referrals to other health facilities, improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes, and provide expectant mothers with safe, convenient and professional maternity care within their own community.

The City of Masvingo congratulates Mrs Ashley Njenjera and her family on the birth of their baby boy and wishes both mother and child good health and happiness.

The City of Masvingo has celebrated a massive double victory for urban development by simultaneously commissioning a new 1.2 million dollar engineering fleet and officially opening the brand-new Runyararo Maternity Unit. The landmark events mark a major leap forward in both infrastructure modernization and primary healthcare delivery for the historic city.

Funded through a substantial capital injection of 1,247,120.52 USD, the new fleet of heavy earthmoving machinery and utility vehicles is set to completely transform local council operations, speed up critical projects, and improve service delivery for residents.

The largest portion of the infrastructure investment went toward the heavy engineering component, with 1,134,120.52 USD dedicated to acquiring a robust fleet of “yellow machines” that includes a new excavator, bulldozer, grader, and roller compactor. To boost everyday logistical support, the city also spent 76,000 USD on two reliable Toyota Hilux GD6 single-cab vehicles, alongside a high-capacity support tractor valued at 37,000 USD. Every single machine was strategically chosen to tackle pressing infrastructure needs across the city. The heavy yellow machines will immediately hit the ground to accelerate ongoing preperations for Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo, fix road structures, install comprehensive stormwater drainage systems, and handle localized gravel extraction. Furthermore, this heavy equipment will directly speed up the development, modernization, and environmental management of Cambria landfill project.

Meanwhile, the new Toyota Hilux utility vehicles are set to give technical and supervisory teams a massive mobility boost. This logistical upgrade ensures that supervisors can easily monitor projects on-site, perform rapid safety inspections, respond immediately to local engineering emergencies, and maintain seamless coordination with field teams.

Alongside this massive infrastructure boost, a major milestone was achieved in public health with the official opening of the Runyararo Maternity Unit, funded through a total of ZiG 800,417 and 31,000 USD. The 20-bed facility represents a monumental shift for the local community, especially for the residents of Runyararo, Victoria Range, and adjacent suburbs who were previously forced to travel long distances to Northwest and Mucheke clinics. By bringing these essential services closer home, the clinic will directly eliminate critical health risks that had previously plagued the community, notably a recent spike in dangerous home deliveries that put mothers and new-borns in severe jeopardy.

The new state-of-the-art wing will offer comprehensive antenatal, delivery, and postnatal services to ensure the highest standards of care for mother and child. City of Masvingo holds a stellar track record in primary healthcare, boasting a clean slate over the past decade with zero neonatal and zero maternal deaths. This exceptional safety record is a direct result of the high-quality maternal services provided by the city’s skilled midwives, who deliver prompt obstetric care and manage life-threatening conditions like eclampsia and sepsis. To ensure total patient safety, the city works hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, seamlessly transferring patients to secondary and tertiary hospitals when major pregnancy complications arise.

The guest of honour, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Hon E.R Chadzamira highly commended the initiative, noting that a healthy nation is the foundation of a successful society and the core cornerstone of the government’s Vision 2030 goals.

He reiterated that the completion of Runyararo Clinic Martenity Wing serves as a direct response to community needs and fulfils the performance contracts of the Mayor and Town Clerk, showcasing strong governance and accountability aligning their efforts with the National Development Strategy (NDS2) and National Health Strategy, fulfilling Sustainable Development Goal 3 for good health and well-being, and contributing to the vision of His Excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa.

Present were senior government officials, councillors, council managements and council stakeholders.

The City of Masvingo celebrated the dedication, loyalty and outstanding service of its employees during a long service awards and retirement ceremony held to recognise staff members who have devoted many years of service to the local authority, while also bidding farewell to retiring colleagues.

The ceremony brought together City of Masvingo management, staff members, retirees and their families, as well as officials from the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), led by Regional Manager Mr. L. Maoche.

Speaking as the Guest of Honour, His Worship, the Mayor Cllr Aleck Tabe commended employees for their unwavering commitment, professionalism and resilience, describing them as the City’s greatest asset.

“The greatest strength of any institution is its people. Behind every service delivered, every project completed and every milestone achieved are committed employees who faithfully carry out their responsibilities with integrity and dedication,” he said.

The Mayor applauded the long service award recipients for their loyalty and steadfast commitment, noting that their years of service reflected professionalism, discipline and an enduring commitment to public service. He acknowledged that many of the award recipients had served the City through changing economic conditions, organisational reforms, technological advancements and evolving community expectations while remaining dedicated to delivering quality services to residents.

He said their commitment had played a vital role in ensuring that the City of Masvingo continued to fulfil its mandate despite numerous challenges.

The ceremony also paid tribute to employees who have retired after years of distinguished service. The Mayor described retirement as not merely the end of a career but the celebration of a lifetime of contribution, recognising the invaluable knowledge, experience and wisdom the retirees had shared throughout their careers.

He said the retirees had strengthened departments, mentored younger employees, shaped institutional policies and contributed significantly to the growth and development of the City.

Addressing serving employees, he encouraged them to draw inspiration from the exemplary careers of the award recipients and retirees, emphasising that recognition is earned through years of dedication, discipline, teamwork, humility and consistent hard work.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of long service awards and recognition of retirees as an appreciation that employees remain the driving force behind effective service delivery and sustainable development.

The City of Masvingo joined the nation in commemorating the National Clean-Up Campaign for July under the theme, “Plastic Free Month: Be Part of the Plastic Pollution Solution,” reiterating commitment to creating a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable environment.

The campaign highlighted the urgent need to tackle plastic pollution, which remains one of the greatest environmental challenges affecting communities. The City of Masvingo used the occasion to encourage residents, businesses and institutions to play an active role in reducing plastic waste and protecting the environment for future generations.

In line with the national theme, the City has continued to work closely with stakeholders and development partners to remove plastics from the environment, improve waste management and enhance the city’s aesthetic appeal. These collaborative efforts have strengthened the City’s drive towards achieving a cleaner and more attractive urban environment.

One of the key initiatives showcased during the clean-up campaign is the innovative Big Bottle Bin, which encourages waste segregation at source. The specially designed receptacle allows residents to dispose of plastic bottles, plastic bags and other plastic packaging separately, while general waste is placed in the lower compartment. The initiative is expected to promote proper waste disposal and increase plastic recycling across the city.

The City’s Health Services Department has also intensified community awareness campaigns on waste segregation, while the Big Bottle Bin serves as a practical reminder of the importance of responsible waste disposal.

Demonstrating long-term commitment to environmental sustainability, the City of Masvingo indorsed its pledge to become a plastic-free city by 2030. To support this vision, Council is introducing an Environmental Monitors training program targeting schools across the city. The program will establish environmental clubs comprising between 20 and 30 learners per school. Upon completing the training, the learners will be certified as Environmental Stewards, empowering them to champion environmental conservation in their schools and communities.

The City also announced that it has secured a grant through GZI to strengthen its environmental management initiatives. The funding will support the expansion of waste reclamation and recycling programs, particularly the plastic purchasing initiative.

Currently, the City is partnering with Markingtorch, a recycling company that purchases segregated plastics at prices ranging from US$200 to US$350 per tonne. The initiative provides an economic incentive for plastic collection while significantly reducing plastic pollution within the city.

The City of Masvingo expresses gratitude to all partners and stakeholders for continued support in promoting environmental stewardship and sustainable waste management.

Council indorsed commitment to intensifying efforts aimed at eliminating plastic pollution and ensuring that Masvingo becomes a clean, green and plastic-free provincial city.

The National Clean-Up Campaign served as a reminder that environmental protection is a shared responsibility, with every resident encouraged to be part of the solution by embracing proper waste management practices and reducing plastic pollution.

Guest of Honour, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Masvingo Province, Hon Ezra Chadzamira was represented by the Director of Infrastructure, Planning and Environmental Management in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr. Douglas Chimhande.

Present was the Mayor for Masvingo, Cllr Aleck Tabe, Councilors, Council Management, Government Provincial Heads and Council stakeholders.

The Health Department, in partnership with Destiny-gate Institute, recently conducted a clean-up campaign along Calvin Majange Street and Gomba Business Centre in Runyararo West.

We encourage all residents, businesses, schools, and community groups to take part in keeping our city clean.

Every small action counts, dispose of waste responsibly, avoid littering, and join community clean-up activities. Our environment is everyone’s responsibility.

In addition, Environmental Health Technicians and Masvingo Christian College- Friends for the Climate Change Conservation club are maintaining high standards of cleanliness across the expo grounds through coordinated waste management, sanitation monitoring and ongoing environmental awareness activities as well as cleanliness of the ablution facilities.

These initiatives aim to safeguard the well-being of attendees.

The expo is running under the theme “Embracing Disability Inclusion in All Sectors: A Masterstroke for National Prosperity and Economic Development.

His Worship the Mayor, Cllr Aleck Tabe, today held a high-level engagement with the Ambassador of Pakistan in a meeting aimed at strengthening cooperation and exploring strategic partnerships that support local economic growth and urban development.

The meeting provided an opportunity for both parties to discuss areas of mutual interest and identify pathways for collaboration between Masvingo City and Pakistan at the local government level.

Key areas of engagement included investment promotion, trade and industrial development, tourism growth, cultural exchange, and skills transfer. Discussions also explored the possibility of establishing twinning arrangements between Masvingo City and cities in Pakistan as a means of promoting knowledge sharing, innovation, and stronger people-to-people relations.

Speaking after the engagement, His Worship the Mayor, Cllr Aleck Tabe, said the City remains committed to building international partnerships that create opportunities for economic transformation and sustainable development.

“Masvingo is positioning itself as a progressive and investment-ready city. Through strategic international partnerships, we seek to unlock new opportunities that contribute to economic growth, strengthen local industries, create employment, and improve service delivery for our residents,” said Mayor Tabe.

The Mayor highlighted Masvingo’s unique position as home to the world-renowned Great Zimbabwe National Monument, noting that international cooperation presents an opportunity to further enhance the city’s tourism potential while attracting investment into key sectors of the local economy.

He added that the City is encouraged by the positive spirit of engagement demonstrated during the meeting and remains focused on translating discussions into practical initiatives and projects that deliver measurable benefits to residents.

Mayor Tabe expressed appreciation to the Ambassador and the Embassy of Pakistan for their warm reception and commitment to strengthening ties with Masvingo City.