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Walter Nyamukondiwa Mashonaland West Bureau
CHINHOYI Municipality has, once again, applied for city status as it seeks to improve service delivery, amid indications that Government is in the process of setting up a commission to assess its suitability.

Council had given management until December 31, 2018 to submit the application.

Spokesperson Mr Tichaona Mlauzi confirmed the development, saying attainment of city status was key in improving Chinhoyi’s capacity to borrow and undertake major projects.

“We have submitted our application for city status and we are waiting for Government to constitute a commission to assess and inspect our suitability to attain the status,” he said.

“This position is important in improving our credit worthiness and significantly increase our borrowing powers.

“Such developments will also help improve service delivery in the town.”

Mr Mlauzi said Chinhoyi had made significant progress in meeting most of the requirements raised in the last assessment following an unsuccessful application in 2016. The report said council lacked basic infrastructure and council then tasked management to work towards lodging another application.

He said attaining city status was key in their drive to attract investment.

Chinhoyi, Mr Mlauzi said, had worked hard to improve infrastructure such as roads and solid waste management which has seen refuse being collected regularly.

As a result, Chinhoyi has won many accolades, with the latest being third place for the best solid waste management at a conference in Bulawayo recently.

Chinhoyi Residents Association chairman Clifford Hlupeko welcomed the development, saying residents had noted some improvements in terms of service delivery.

“They have engaged us as Chinhoyi Residents Association on the issue of attaining city status and we are happy to note improvement in terms of roads and refuse collection,” he said.

“We, however, would like the municipality to ensure that roads in the community are spruced up while effort should be made to ensure that water supplies are restored in some areas.”

The municipality won the same accolade at the Megafest northern region awards to establish an impeccable record in solid waste management.

“The awards point to effort which the world is acknowledging and we are very hopeful that this time we will be awarded city status,” he said.

To ensure water supplies, Chinhoyi has embarked on a water augmentation programme, which has, however, overrun its intended completion dates owing to the initial contractor’s inertia.

The project seeks to double capacity from 16 mega litres per day to 30 mega litres, while the second phase was expected to eventually boost capacity by a further 10 mega litres.

Notwithstanding the setbacks, Chinhoyi has managed to increase water treatment and pumping capacity to 20 mega litres per day.

This has seen some areas getting supplies for nearly 24 hours.