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George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
Government wants Mpandawana town in Gutu to be de-congested and transformed by developing new residential and business stands in surrounding service centres, in line with President Mnangagwa’s vision to make Zimbabwe an upper middle income economy by 2030.

Mpandawana was accorded town status in 2014, becoming the third urban settlement to attain such status in the province after Masvingo and Chiredzi.

The town is now under a town board and Government wants its state to reflect the new status in line with the modernisation agenda.

National Housing and Social Amenities Deputy Minister Yeukai Simbanegavi said Government wanted an end to congestion in Mpandawana. She said de-congestion would be achieved by promoting development of new businesses at Chartsworth and Bhasera business centres. Bhasera is now a growth point, while Chartsworth is a rural service centre.

“Our challenge to Gutu Rural District Council is for them to urgently look at decongesting Mpandawana Town because we want a proper modern town that is consistent with current trends,” she said.

“Council should make sure new buildings are properly planned so that there is order, and one way of de-congesting Mpandawana is through developing new residential and business stands in surrounding business centres, particularly Bhasera and Chartsworth.”

Deputy Minister Simbanegavi noted that expansion of Bhasera and Charstworth augured well for surrounding communities, as modern facilities such as banks and hospitals will be opened in those areas.

She said Government was aware that most urban settlements had run out of land for expansion purposes and called on local authorities to think outside the box in handling growing demand for land for housing and business development.

Mpandawana is arguably one of the fastest growing urban settlements in Masvingo owing to high investment that has jolted demand for both residential and business land. The growth is being buoyed by expansion in mining and agricultural activities around the town.