By Tatenda Mujeyi
The City of Harare has launched the urban renewal program which is aimed at fulfilling the vision of becoming a world Class City by 2020.
“I am honoured to be addressing you at this important event, an event which will culminate into the transformation of Harare into a smart and beautiful city,” Mayor of Harare, Councillor Herbert Gomba said.
The program is aimed at improving the conditions of residents and make the City a safer, secure and comfortable place that attracts investments.
“The urban renewal program is meant to improve the lives of our residents, make it much safer, secure and comfortable. We need to attract investors into this city and there is no better way to do that than the way we appear to them,” the Mayor said.
Council further emphasised its commitment to meet the increasing demand to deliver better services to residents, business and tourists.
“We also need to appreciate the fact that there has been a gradual demand for more and better council services in areas such as waste collection, housing, road quality and water supply among other services.”
Council highlighted government’s promise to incorporate the Kunzvi Dam Project in the 2020 budget with a focus on water delivery improvements.
“Government has promised to include Kunzvi Dam in the 2020 budget so we hope our water problems will finally be put to rest. My council is going to purchase water bowsers to be deployed in areas with erratic supplies of water while plans are also underway to purchase mobile water treatment plants.”
The urban renewal program will further seek to see to the improvement of historical buildings so as to realise improvement on tourism.
“The City is blessed with a lot of historical buildings which can go a long way in attracting visitors in the city. We have not been taking care of these and some of them are in a sorry state,” Gomba said
The program also sets focus on the Mbare renewal program that is aimed at building new flats, terminus and rehabilitation of the Mbare Musika Market and Bus Terminus.
“We are also working on the Mbare renewal program which will see new blocks of flats, shopping mall, the rehabilitation of Mbare Musika and the bus terminus,” Gomba said.
Council further called upon residents and stakeholders to pay their bills on time as this program heavily relied on the finances for implementation.
“I therefore call upon residents and stakeholders to support us by paying their bills because these programs require financial support. Without that some of these projects will remain a pipe dream,” the Mayor said.
The program, if fully implemented, should see the improvement of the state of infrastructure and service delivery that has constantly been criticised.