Brighton Chiseva
The long wait is over for people in Rupike and Mavizhu areas under Chief Nyajena in Masvingo South following the commissioning of Mavizhu Clinic last week by the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira.
Plans for the construction of the clinic were finalised in 2016 between community leaders and Ward 23 Councillor Tichaona Machingambi who moved the motion in Masvingo Rural District Council (RDC).
After the motion was approved, the site plan and pegging was done in the same year, with local
people raising money through contributions but it was not enough to take the
project off the ground.
Masvingo South constituency MP Claudios Maronge actively took interest in the project when he assumed office in 2018 and managed to channel part of his Constituency Development Fund (CDF) towards the clinic.
The CDF disbursement was used to buy 720 bags of cement, 129 roofing iron sheets, 30 roof trusses, 21 doors and door frames, 27 window frames and window panes and a 6 kg packet of nails.
The money was also used to pay for labour with more materials being bought using plough back money from council and Renco Mine providing some materials like quarry stones among other things.
Masvingo RDC through devolution funds constructed standard staff quarters, toilets and water for both the clinic and community.
The eight-bed Mavizhu clinic will serve more than 10 000 households from Masvingo South and part of Masvingo Central constituencies.
Before its commissioning, people relied on Muchibwa Rural Hospital and Guwa Clinic which are both more than 30 km from other areas.
Maronge said the community has since resolved to start preparations for the construction of a secondary school and another business centre close by and said electrification of the clinic will be done early next year.
