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Walter Nyamukondiwa Kariba Bureau

Kasese Housing Project in Kariba is set to resume after the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) issued an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate.

This comes as the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) withdrew its application disputing the municipality’s ownership of the land.

The application, together with an objection from the Airports Company of Zimbabwe, had contributed to delays in the implementation of the project.

The project had been in limbo since 2013, leaving people who bought stands on the sidelines as the project  exchanged hands several times from Kariba Municipality, Pinnacle Holdings to the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ).

Work on offsite infrastructure such as roads and the drainage system had begun last year when EMA issued an order for work to stop, citing the objections which affected issuance of an EIA.

“This serves to certify that Godfrey T Magijani, Kariba Municipality, Zimbabwe has been granted EIA acceptance to operate Kasese Housing Development (9698),” reads part of the certificate.

The development is expected to decongest existing townships, the majority which were built as single quarters.

Kariba Municipality were the first respondent with the Secretary for Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and Surveyor-General being second and third respondents respectively.

“Take notice, the Applicant (Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority) hereby withdraws its claim hereby tenders wasted cost,” reads the High Court notice.

Kariba mayor, Mr George Masendu, said the development paves way for the resumption of works which were stopped when a contractor had moved on site last year.

“With this development, the Kasese project will commence soon. We are happy even for the beneficiaries of the project,” he said.

Completion of the project, he said, would increase revenue for the council.

Kariba Incorporated Area Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association executive chairman Mr Samu Mawawo, welcomed the development saying it was long overdue.

“The project has suffered many setbacks at the expense of beneficiaries and we think this will help increase the number of homeowners as more than 75 percent of people are lodgers,” he said.

“Some of the challenges we see in Kariba could be a thing of the past if people start building and there are more housing units where people can get accommodation resulting in rentals coming down.”

He thanked Government for making resumption of the project possible.