…Policy makers fume over shoddy job

Brighton Chiseva

ZAKA – People, mainly motorists in Jerera are furious over the delay in the resurfacing and tarring of the 1.8 km stretch along the busy road which links the growth point and Anthony’s Musiso Mission hospital and schools.
No meaningful development has been registered since the road whose construction is believed to be bankrolled by Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) was closed late last year prompting many to think it’s another case of corruption where tenders are given to incompetent and ill equipped contractors.
When the road was closed last year for the work to commence, it was expected to be officially opened on March 31, 2022.
However, half of the work has not been done though it’s close to five months and the local authority is now expecting it to be completed in less than a month.
When contacted for comment local (ward 19) councillor Peter Imbayarwo said everyone was worried by the pace at which the work is progressing saying the contractor returned recently after a long time but the pace is very slow.
He said motorists are complaining about the detour which they said was too long and the road is very bad especially when transporting pregnant women and other serious patients to Musiso which is one of the referral hospitals in the district.
“The contractor is slow, he was given the tender last year but nothing much has been done so far, we once raised the issue in a full council meeting but there is still no progress. Motorists are complaining of the detour which they said is bad and too long,” said Imbayarwo.
One motorist who spoke to TellZim News said they wanted to stage a demo at council offices over the matter saying the detour is very long and in very bad shape.
“We wanted to demonstrate, we shelved the demo after we saw the contractor coming back but we are monitoring the progress, if they continue with the slow pace we will demonstrate. The detour is times two the normal distance and the road is in very bad state to Musiso Hospital such that our vehicles are damaged.
“The road is critical, we can no longer rush critical patients to the hospital because of the state of the detour, we implore council to at least resurface the detour and make sure that the road is completed as soon as possible,” said the motorist.

Local Member of Parliament (MP) Davison Svuure confirmed about the purported demo and said he was equally frustrated with the pace which the road maintenance is taking.
“They wanted to demonstrate but I stopped them saying since the contractor is back at the site, we have to wait a bit.
“I however don’t think the contractor has the capacity or competence to pull up the tender he got. He does not even have enough equipment on the ground and at some point I saw some young boys using shovels and picks to make culverts, a thing that should be done within minutes using modern equipment. Who in this era construct a road using shovels? I really don’t know if he was the best person whom they picked for the contract,” said Svuure.
He went on to say he is in constant touch with the local authority over the issue doing his over sight role.
“I am in constant touch with council authorities over the road, a lot of people are complaining and we want it to be completed as soon as possible to make life easier for us all,” said Svuure.
Zaka Rural District Council (RDC) chairperson Cornelius Mapuranga said as councillors they are also worried by the level of incompetence shown by the contractor saying they are not serious.
“The contractor seem not to be serious at all, I think he has no equipment, usually contractors are awarded tenders for work they cannot do relying on others and that’s where challenges emanate from,” said Mapuranga.
He went on to say they gave him the tender after recommendations from the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, (PRAZ) saying they didn’t even know if he had enough equipment.
“We don’t know the capacity of a contractor when we give tenders, we submit applications to PRAZ and we get recommendations from there. So that is what we did and I think we got the wrong contractor,” added Mapuranga.
He blamed the contractor of doing a shoddy job on gravelling which they ended up forcing him to redo after engineers from the Head Office of Ministry of local Government, Public works and National Housing, said the type of gravel he was using was not compactible.
“The contractor had gravelled a bigger part of the road and we asked for engineers from the Head Office who took samples and tested the gravel and concluded that it was not compatible with the type of soil. We then asked him to redo, but he wanted more money for that which we refused as it was his fault,” said Mapuranga.
Zaka RDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) David Batsirai Majaura confirmed the damages on the detour road saying it was supposed to be maintained by council and currently their grader was out.
“We are supposed to maintain the detour road but now our grader is working somewhere and the road was damaged by the rains we received recently,” said Majaura.
On issue of the road, Majaura said they expect it to be complete by end of this month (May) and apologised on behalf of the contractor saying work was stalled by the rains.
“The works were affected by some heavy rains that were sometimes received during the rainy season. As a local authority, we want to apologize to our road users for the delay on completion of this road. The heavy rains have resulted into many technical issues which took some time to resolve but currently all issues are resolved and works have resumed,”
“The contractor has successfully completed sub-grade and one layer of gravel. There are some areas which need three layers as per our laboratory recommendations and the contractor has already started working on the second gravel layer. Stockpiling of gravel for these works was done. He is also working on the drainage system where three main culverts were constructed,” said Majaura.
He disputed the allegations that the contractor had already been paid all the money saying he is paid on stages and so far he had received only one part payment.
“The contractor has only received one part payment upon presentation of laboratory test results of the first layer. Other payments will be done when his works are competed and passed the laboratory tests. Most surfacing materials have already been procured and delivered to council offices by the contractor. The project is now expected to be completed by the end of May 2022,” he added.

Majaura said council was also working on the construction and repair of culverts throughout the district with two major culverts having already been repaired along Chivamba- Svuure road while six more were constructed along Musenyereki-Njiva road.
He said work on Chivamba Business Centre drainage system will start this month while there is great progress on the construction of Gunguvo School Culvert.

Fredrick Moyo

Masvingo Covid-19 Provincial Taskforce spokesperson Rodgers Irimayi has said citizens in the province should take advantage of the second vaccination campaign blitz that kicked off on May 3, 2022.
The country launched a two phased vaccination campaign blitz with the first that began in March 2022 taking off to a slow response in vaccine uptake while the second that kicked off on May 3 is now in full swing.
Speaking to TellZim News Irimayi confirmed that the province is currently holding its second phase of the vaccination campaign blitz and urged citizens to take advantage of the blitz.
“Currently the country is prioritizing the second phase of the vaccination campaign blitz that started on May 3 and during this campaign blitz, we are saying all those eligible to be vaccinated should get their jabs, which means all those who are 12 years and above should be vaccinated.
“Our teams are all over the province carrying out the outreach programme, they are going where people are much concentrated like at work places, markets, town centres and in schools,” said Irimayi.
He encouraged all eligible people to get vaccinated and those who are fully vaccinated to go for the booster shot so that the spread of the deadly virus can be limited as the winter season is drawing nearer and cases are on the rise.
“We are encouraging people to get vaccinated to minimize the spread of the virus, we have those who have chronic diseases and those old ages, they should also get vaccinated as they are vulnerable to the virus.
“Those who had their first and second doses are also encouraged to go for the booster shot after six months from second doses. As we are entering the winter season, cases are on the surge and people need to be vaccinated to curb the spread, we lost a life in Chiredzi on May 10 due to Covid-19 so people need to take advantage of this outreach programme and get vaccinated,” added Irimayi.
As at May 11, Masvingo province had 521 PCR tests, 12 new cases with one recovery and no death recoded. Cumulative cases stands at 21 555 with 21 315 recoveries and 205 deaths.

Melinda Kusemachibi

Impetuosity Acts of Love (IAL) on May 14, 2022 donated blankets to people with disabilities in and around Masvingo Central Business District (CBD).

A 20 year-old Moreblessing Ruzive founder of IAL said that she was always passionate about giving people living with disabilities.

“IAL started last year (2021) to formally operate in Zimbabwe, Masvingo but l was always passionate about giving to people living with disabilities as well as the vulnerable. Since childhood, l have been involved in doing charity work,” said Ruzive.

She also added that besides donating in Masvingo CBD, she has also landed her giving hand to different areas in and around the province.

“Besides here in Masvingo CBD, l also donated at Alpha Cottage, Ratidzo Zim Care Trust, Mutemwa as well as in Mutoko. So far we have 78 members but we do not have a formal donor to help us with funds, it comes from our heart and we do not have any income generating projects though we are planning to do some.

“Our aim is to help those who are disabled, widows, street kids and orphans. We have future plans of building an orphanage with the help of donors,” said Ruzive.

One of the people who received a gift of blanket Sharon Charehwa said that she is very thankful for the blanket.

“I am very thankful for the gift which they gave me. Currently l had no blanket on my own, now l have one,” said Charehwa.

IAL has hopes of one day becoming a Non-Governmental Organization. It was founded last year the 20 year-old girl whose kindness has driven to help the needy.

They donated 10 blankets in the CBD which they said were bought by own money.

…GCSMEs call for immediate NRZ, SMEs engagement

Tinaani Nyabereka

Gweru– Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) currently operating at the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) site near Swift and Metro Peech area have expressed concern over unjustified increase of rentals by the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).
The development comes as the prevailing economic hardships continue to affect the business community as prices of goods and services have inflated due to the instability of the local currency.
Commenting on the development, one of the dealers who owns a car sales at the NRZ site, Grey Mutsambiwa said the initial agreement as of 2019 was based on the agreement that the tenants were to pay US$ 0.30 per square meter.
“Initially when we came here, we signed a lease agreement of US$ 0 .30 per square meter and that was in 2019 and that changed to US$ 0.40 per square meter before the first lockdown period. Soon after the lockdown most businesses accumulated debts and we then thought of coming up with payment plans for the debts.
“As we were paying our lockdown debts, we then saw officials from NRZ come and tell us that the rates had been increased to US$ 2.50 per square meter with immediate effect. I was paying US$ 1000 per month but things changed all of a sudden and on top of the lockdown; we saw the US$ 2.50 coming. As I am talking to you, am supposed to pay US$ 5000 per 2000 square meter, we then tried to engage our landlord but they did not come on the ground to assess the situation.
When we came here, there was nothing, we developed the area on our own as you can see and in the process we incurred extra costs on toilets and water but the landlord didn’t say anything about it. We once wrote to them but they didn’t reply and we are very worried about this situation,” he said.
Another business owner Edsome Gapare Nkiwane who runs a hardware company said as tenants they were pleading for rentals to be reviewed.
“Our plea is to meet with the landlord and engage with regards to this issue. At least we want them to know that in clearing these arrears, we also incurred a lot of costs as we built toilets. As for me, am operating on a 200 square meter area. I told them to regularize and they told me they would come but up to date nothing has materialized. Some tenants are paying US$ 0.50 per square meter in other towns but here we don’t know what is happening.
“If one wants to expand his/ her business they are saying pay deposit in US$ but you are receipted in bond notes. We really want to understand what is going on. We heard a directive was given that if one fails to pay, they should just leave everything and go, even the property one would have invested in. Is that fair though?” he said.
Another entrepreneur Langton Moyo who owns a hardware market said there was need for the landlord to review the terms and conditions of the lease agreement.
Gweru Chamber of SMEs chairperson Tafadzwa Mazorodze however said acts of corruption could not be ruled out on this matter.
“We are not sure how the landlords are dealing with this issue but what I can say is that we also suspect that there might be elements of corruption, the fees being charged are not justified.
“We are going to engage them as we are pushing for a meeting, the meeting was slated for Tuesday last week but it has since been changed to this coming Friday. We hope to meet with the board so that we can clarify the issue,” said Mazorodze.
Efforts to get a comment from the Acting NRZ Midlands Estates Manager Loice Mazadza on the matter were fruitless as her mobile phone was not reachable.
However the NRZ board is expected to give a way forward in resolving the situation.

… Holds Thanksgiving Mass to dedicate results to God

…teachers, pupils rewarded

Faith Duri

Silveria High School, one of the Catholic Diocese of Masvingo academic powerhouses celebrated its 2021 impressive results through a Mass where they dedicated their results to God.
The Mass was graced by Masvingo Diocese leadership led by Reverend Doctor Father Michael Dixon Bhasera and the Vica General Reverend Dr Father Walter Nyatsanza and other Reverends.
Teachers, members of the responsible authority, ancillary staff and best pupils were rewarded with cash prizes.
At Ordinary level, Silveira recorded 96.90 percent pass rate, which is the best in the whole diocese, Bikita District and Masvingo.
At Advanced level, the Silver City as the school is nicknamed scooped grabbed second position in the province.
Giving the Word during the celebrations, Reverend Father Emmanuel Zengeya told the gathering that the results were a result of the school’s trust in God whom he said is ready to open eyes if people trust in him.
“2021 was a tough year for all, but like what God did to Hagari in the bible when he opened his eyes and he saw a well, that is the same way he opened eyes for pupils who trust in him.
“Teachers, libraries, e-Learning facilities are the wells God opened for the pupils who wrote last year and if they had no trust in God, they would have not managed to utilise them,” said Zengeya.
In his speech Father Walter Nyatsanza who spoke on behalf of Bishop ‘Sekuru’ Bhasera, sang praises for the school head Stanely Mutsambiwa saying he had managed to uplift the school standards since he took over.
“We comment in high regard the school head Mr Mutsambiwa and his team for a great spirit of team work which enabled them to produce such good results that have placed the school at the top of the ladder above all other schools, not only in the Catholic family of Masvingo Diocese but also in the whole of Masvingo province,” said Nyatsanza.
Fr Nyatsanza said Mutsambiwa’s demotion form Gokomere to a deputy head was a blessing in disguise for it finally led him to Silveira where he is showing his leadership capabilities.
“Mr Mutsambiwa was demoted by the Ministry of Education when he was at Gokomere High School for an insignificant issue and had to be transferred to Mutero High as a substantive deputy head. The ministry was later requested to transfer him to Silveria High as a head where his true colours and qualities of leadership once again manifested themselves,” said Nyatsanza.
He also said the results were a result of the morals instilled in the children by the church which he said was into education to produce good citizens for the state saying that is the reason why we request for 50percent Catholic teachers at their schools.
“At Catholic schools we request more than 50 percent of our staffs to be Catholics so that they create and endorse Catholic ethos which Pope the Second said is to create good citizens for the state,” said Nyatsanza.
Standing in for the District Schools Inspector James Mahofa, Inspector Aleta Makomeke said as a ministry and government, they counted on schools like Silveira for producing quality results which she said was a good base for the attainment of the president’s vision of making Zimbabwe an upper middle economy by 2030.
She went on to tell Sekuru Bhasera that as a ministry they also relied on the Catholic schools and said they needed more catholic schools and commented on the infrastructural development witnessed at the school despite economic hardships.
“I want to applaud the work being done here by Mr Mutsambiwa and his team, Silveira is one of the best schools we have and want to say thank you head Mutsambiwa for leading this school in a right direction and thank you our students for co-operating well.
“To you Sekuru Bhasera, in Bikita we only have one Catholic school can we please have more? We do not take you as a stakeholder, but as a stockholder and l am happy to inform you that in Bikita district we boast of Silveria High school,” said Makomeke.
On his part Mutsambiwa complimented his staff members and pupils that they are a beauty to work with because they co-operate and respect him.
“Firstly l would like to thank my staff members; we wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t because of them. My teachers you are a beauty to work with can you please keep the fire burning and to the students you cannot go wrong with these teachers can you please follow suit, I cherish your support,” said Mutsambiwa.
In 2017 the ‘O’ pass rate was 83.4 percent and recorded 98.4 percent at ‘A’ Level, in 2018 ‘O’ Level pass rate was 96.2 percent while ‘A’ level recorded 97.7 percent.
In 2019 the school recorded 95.92 percent at ‘O’ level and 97.9 percent for ‘A’ level and in 2020 ‘O’ level pass rate was 96.9 percent and 99.10 for ‘A’ level.

…as council discharges raw sewage into incomplete Mucheke Trunk Sewer

Melinda Kusemachibi

Residents in Masvingo are reportedly living in fear of a possible disease outbreak after Masvingo City Council reportedly discharged raw sewage into the long awaited and incomplete Mucheke Trunk Sewer which is now more than 10 years old since its construction started.
The raw sewage is flowing into Mucheke River at the foot path that crosses the river on the way to Rujeko A high density suburb, with volumes of sewer making their way into the already polluted river at a connection point where the trunk sewer contractors joined with metal pipes.
When TellZim News crew visited the area, they caught up with one resident who expressed shock at such a move by the local authority and blamed the city fathers for neglecting welfare of residents in case of a disease outbreak arising.
“What is happening here is bad. How can council discharge raw sewerage into a natural water body like a river? These people at Town House are not serious at all. How can they neglect the welfare of ratepayers who part ways with their hard earned cash when they pay their rates? They only prioritize the purchase of luxurious vehicles for their top management at the expense of our health.
“Discharging sewerage into an incomplete sewer system shows lack of seriousness on their part. I challenge you to bring responsible engineers to visit these places and explain why they do such things,” said the resident.
Contacted for comment Masvingo Town Clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa said he was busy before asking the reporter to contact him after two hours after which his mobile phone went unanswered.
“Please can you contact me after two hours because right now I am busy? Call me later,” said Mukaratirwa.
Environmental Management Authority (EMA) Provincial Manager Milton Muusha said his team is looking at the issue.
“The discharge has since been attended to. I have asked my officer who was on the ground with council to rectify the problem to compile a short report which I will share with you tomorrow (May 11),” said Muusha.
In the 2019 Auditor General Mildred Chiri’s report on local authorities rapped Masvingo city council for contaminating water bodies through disposal of raw sewage into Mucheke and Shagashe rivers that feed into Lake Mutirikwi, Masvingo’s main water source.

Completion of the ‘legacy project’ has remained a headache for the local authority after its construction began after over a decade ago.
In 2012, City of Masvingo advertised a tender to construct the Mucheke Trunk Sewer, a pipeline running roughly parallel to Mucheke River and planned to link with the sewer plant in Eastvale.
Covering a stretch of 7km, the new sewer trunk is meant to extend to the fairly new and sprawling Victoria Ranch suburb just outside Masvingo.
Initially Harare-based Mutual Construction (Pvt) Ltd was awarded the tender after beating at least 10 other bidders and council fixed a US$2,1 million loan from the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) to fund the project.
As at March, 3 2021 checks have however revealed that Mutual Construction was not among the 108 professional firms listed on the Engineering Council of Zimbabwe (ECZ) website.
Project development kicked off in 2012 and was supposed to be completed within a year, but work stopped in early 2013.
Mutual Construction had removed its equipment that remained on the project site by the end of 2014, save for the giant 750-1200mm diameter cement-asbestos pipes purchased from Turnall Holdings.
In 2015, council put out a public notice borrowing a further US$1, 7 million to fund resumption of work on the project. But barely a quarter of the job has been done.
According to a recent report, Masvingo reported an average of 2 812 sewer blockages per year and was blamed for lack of supervision and lack of enforcement of contract agreements by its engineers and staff.