Council gets $3 million as devolution kitty

Harmony Agere

The Harare City Council (HCC) has received $3 million from Government as part of the funds meant to bankroll devolution programmes within its jurisdiction.

The disbursement comes from the $310 million resource envelopment that has been set aside for devolution this year.

HCC town clerk, Engineer Hosiah Chisango said the local authority has already received its share of the cake.

The money, he said, would be used to rehabilitate the city’s water infrastructure.

“Government has disbursed $2,9 million as part of devolution funds to the City of Harare and this is being used in the rehabilitation of filters at Morton Jaffray.

“As such, the city has seen a gradual increase in infrastructure rehabilitation,” he said.

Devolution, which involves the ceding of a portion of central Government powers to provincial councils, became a constitutional requirement after enactment of a new Constitution in 2013.

Already, Government has released more than $31 million to Masvingo province, with Chiredzi and Mwenezi Rural District Councils (RDCs) getting the biggest chunk of the money.

Further, a total of $26 million has been allocated for devolution programmes in Mashonaland Central.

Meanwhile, City of Harare says it requires US$600 million to replace aged water pipes and an additional US$450 million for sewage facilities in the next five years.

City fathers are accused of pumping dirty water into people’s homes.

Water rationing has also affected both domestic and industrial users.

Eng Chisango said: “The city has also invested in the rehabilitation of sewage treatment works, with 60 percent of Firle Sewage works now restored.

“The city will be moving to control urban agriculture because the fertilisers and pesticides used in agriculture are eventually leached to the dams and these aid the growth of water weeds and algae, leading to continued pollution of the water sources.

“Remedial plans are in place and being implemented. Complete overhaul of the sewerage infrastructure, regulation of waste disposal from industries and regulation of urban agriculture will see renewal of our current water sources and reduction of water treatment expenditure, as well as guaranteed potable water quality.”

City of Harare, however, says it has enough water to last the city until the next rainy season.