Gwanda Municipality has channeled about ZWL$1.5 million in devolution funds to construct a five megalitre water reservoir as a means to mitigate any future water woes in the mining town.
The government recently disbursed ZWL$10 million in devolution funds to local authorities around the country.
The funds were allocated among 10 provinces based on several factors such as poverty levels in all rural districts, quality of Infrastructure and size of the population.
Gwanda has experienced critical water shortages, which have seen residents go for weeks without the precious liquid.
However, the municipality has been made the water problem a priority as it works on attaining city status by 2020.
Gwanda Mayor, Councillor Jastone Mazhale told CITE that the bulk of the funds they received were channeled to water and water infrastructure to alleviate future water woes in the town.
“The bulk of the devolution fund that we got went to water and water infrastructure,” said Cllr Mazhale.
“We got ZWL$1.5million it went to Water Sanitation and Hygiene ( WASH) because we are trying to complete out tank which is the highest point around Gwanda and the moment we complete that our water will just flow through, it will not need any pumping or boost,” he said.
Mayor Mazhale said the five megalitre reservoir is the last solution to the water challenges in the town and they are going to invest in the project even from funds outside devolution.
“Our five megalitres reservoir is a lasting solution to water woes in Gwanda but we are not sure whether this money will actually complete the tank but anything that we are going to get we are going to dedicate it to water and water infrastructure, the moment we are done with water then we will look into other areas,” he said.
He added that the implementation of devolution is long overdue as local authorities were not benefitting much.
“The devolution is long overdue and it’s an outright violation of the constitution,” said Cllr Mazhale.
