Staff Reporter
The Sakubva Urban Renewal Project (SURP) which had been suspended due to COVID-19 is set to resume before year end, the Harare Post can report.
The SURP is part of a broader national Urban Renewal Project initiative aimed at modernizing local cities including Mutare's oldest and run-down suburb of Sakubva, in line with Government's Vision 2030.
Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba said huddles that were delaying the project had been cleared.
“The Sakubva Urban Renewal Project was stalled due to COVID-19, coupled with besetting liquidity challenges faced by the investors, have now been attended to. The project is expected to be implemented before the end of the year in earnest,” she said.
Under the project, Mutare City Council will construct high rise flat’s, revamp Sakubva Flea Market, Sakubva Bus Terminus, Murahwa Green Market Home Industries and Sakubva Vegetable Market. 225 hectares of land have been unveiled by the council for this initiative.
Government has made a commitment to transform local cities under a Smart Zimbabwe blueprint which is expected to turn local urban areas into smart cities that use information communication technologies.
The SURP is bankrolled by BancABC and the first phase will see an injection of US$8 million (ZWL$148 million) by the bank.
Apart from this project, as of October 2020 Manicaland Province had received ZWL125 million devolution funds and Mutare City was allocated ZWL35.2 million.
The expenditure of the devolution funds allocated to Manicaland Province was mainly on road construction equipment such as tippers, backhoe loaders, dumber trailers, towed graders, rehabilitation of road equipment, road surfacing and gravelling, borehole drilling, schools furniture, computerisation of council offices, construction of clinics and classroom blocks across the local authorities.
Other towns with suburbs earmarked for urban renewal include Victoria Falls, Hwange, Chinhoyi, Masvingo, Bulawayo and Beitbridge.
