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Luthando Mapepa Chipinge Correspondent
CHIPINGE District Administrator Mr William Mashava has challenged recently sworn in councillors to use their terms of office to lure investors to the south-eastern district of Zimbabwe.

He said this while addressing the councillors during a familiarisation tour of Chipinge Rural District Council (CRDC) projects recently.

Chipinge RDC has 30 wards, 15 of which were won by the ruling Zanu-PF, while 14 went to MDC and one to People’s Rainbow Coalition (PRC).

Mr Mashava said the councillors should walk the talk, adding that all local authorities had made some strides in embracing the ease doing of business concept that Government is pushing for.

He said: “Being a ward councillor does not put one in the comfort zone.

“A councillor must work to develop not only his ward, but be accountable to the whole district.

“A councillor must work hard to attract investors. The district has various business opportunities that prospective investors can grab. Do not think of yourself, but serve the people first in order to gain investor confidence. Investors are attracted by a corruption-free environment.”

Mr Mashava said there were various ways through which councillors could find investors and turn around the lives of the people.

“In Chipinge, there are many areas which can marketed to attract potential investors. We have many deposits of salt, but not a single outgoing councillor marketed them. We have springs, which produce good water, but no one is talking about them. These are potential areas which need to be explored and can improve the people’s lives,” he said.

Mr Mashava also emphasised the need for councillors to be professional.

“Some of you might feel that as councillors you can use council chambers to settle political scores, no, that is very wrong since council is not a political arena, but a public institution where one shall be held accountable. Do your part to attract investors for the good of the district,” he said.