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Takunda Maodza Manicaland Bureau Chief

NYANGA Rural District Council has applied for town status, a position it feels will help attract investment and access to modern services.

Located in the eastern part of Zimbabwe, Nyanga boasts top hotels, a national park and various tourist attractions.

Nyanga Rural District Council chief executive Dr Zefania Jaravaza said yesterday that everything was in place for Nyanga to be granted town status.

“We have applied for town status,” he said.

“Council made a resolution to that effect a long time ago. Our residents feel that Nyanga is lagging behind and if we become a town, we will be able to access certain services.”

Dr Jaravaza said Nyanga has a district hospital, two private clinics, district police headquarters and various Government departments.

“We have electricity, water, street lights and banks,” he said.

“We also have pharmacies and two private clinics. Our roads are tarred and with that we feel we are lagging behind when some small areas were long awarded town status.”

Dr Jaravaza is cognisant of the challenges associated with the attainment of town status.

“It means of course that residents will be expected to fund operations of their town as revenue will no longer be coming from Nyanga Rural District Council.”

Dr Jaravaza said they had refuse trucks and the sewage reticulation system was in place although it might need to be upgraded.

The proposed Nyanga Town Council also requires land for expansion since it is surrounded by a national park and communal lands.

“It is difficult to remove people in communal areas,” said Dr Jaravaza.

“The national park will have to cede part of its land to us. It has 47 000 hectares yet only a few wild animals remain in the park now.”