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Fungai Lupande Mash Central Bureau
Rushinga Rural District Council has recorded an increase in development levy collections after it introduced a commission to wards that raise the highest amount of money.

Rushinga RDC chief executive Mr Paradzai Munyede said they are offering 20 percent commission to the wards.

“We have 25 000 households but only 15 000 have been paying the community development levy. In the past three years we have seen an increase in the number of households coming forward after we introduced a commission,” said Mr Munyede.

“They were paying $2 per households but we have reviewed the levy upwards to $5. We are using councillors and village heads to collect the money. We give them a 20 percent commission to the wards that collects high amount.

“Communities define their projects and we use the community development levy to buy the material that they require.”

Mr Munyede said construction of $200 000 Nyatsato clinic, close to the border with Mozambique is at an advanced stage.

“The clinic is expected to be complete by June next year and its construction is in partnership with World Vision and the legislator Cde Tendai Nyabani. The clinic will help people in Rushinga and those in Mozambique along the borderline,” said Mr Munyede.

“We are putting a solar power reticulation water system at the clinic. The water will also supply a nearby primary and secondary school, shopping centre and the community. The area is prone to malaria yet they didn’t have a health facility nearby. People travel for 20 kilometers to Marymount Hospital or they have to travel to Rushinga.

“We have poor infrastructure in Rushinga and we are expecting that when we receive the $2, 7 million allocation from Government 70 percent will go towards the education sector and 15 percent will go towards health.

“We have few secondary schools and we need at least five new schools. The district has a high rate of school dropouts because learners walk for about 20 kilometers to school.”

Mr Munyede added that lack of construction equipment has affected the maintenance of roads in Rushinga.

“Our wish is to be allowed to buy construction equipment using our allocation from Zinara. All our roads need re-gravelling, our challenge is that we don’t have tippers and front end loaders,” he said.

“The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development promised to tar the 20 kilometres between Chimhanda and Rushinga. It’s a short distance but motorists are charging $8 due to the bad state of the road.”