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Blessings Chidakwa

Municipal Correspondent

Chitungwiza town council is constructing proper vending sites in different parts of the town, which will give it a much needed facelift.

Cabinet recently directed all local authorities to take advantage of the national lockdown to clean up and renovate sites occupied by informal traders ahead of the resumption of business.

The Herald visited one of the sites at Zengeza 2 shops, where council employees were busy erecting new vending stalls that will accommodate up to 314 vendors.

Chitungwiza acting town clerk Dr Tonderai Kasu yesterday said he was waiting for a detailed technical report on the status of renovations at Zengeza 2 market.

The report, Dr Kasu said, will be presented at a joint sitting of the housing and public works committees, so that they can make recommendations that will be presented to the full council.

“I would not want to pre-empt the findings of the report before our committees of council have had a chance to deliberate on the matter and so I am unable to provide any further comments on this issue at this stage,” he said.

Chitungwiza Progressive Residents Association (CHITREST) welcomed the development saying they hope that the market stalls are going to be allocated to the rightful people.

“We don’t want to see people who are not into vending business, the land barons, benefiting at the expense of the vendors.

“The council registered all the informal traders two years ago they must do the allocation in the spirit of transparency and fairness,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chitungwiza Residents Trust on Sunday donated mealie meal to underprivileged members of the community in the town under its Covid-19 helping hand initiative.

A total of 100 households benefited from the mealie meal donations.

The trust’s director Alice Kuveya said the mealie meal was provided by a partner organisation — Citizens Manifesto.

“The initiative is meant to cushion the underprivileged members of the community from the negative effects of the national lockdown imposed by the Government in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

“CHITREST continues to seek for food and grocery donations to cushion over 10 000 households in Chitungwiza in dire need of food and other groceries for consumption during this lockdown period,” she said.