By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
Masvingo – Masvingo City Council has proposed a budget of $220 969 164 for the year 2020. This budget was announced last week at a meeting that was held at the Council’s Mayors chambers.
The budget is to be financed through external borrowing which will constitute of 96 100 000, Internal funds will comprise of 118 405 375 and Inter- governmental fiscal transfers which will be 7 463 789 which will amount to the proposed figure 220 969 164.
The funds will for see the development of projects that were already in progress and other new ones to be proposed.
$7 463 789 was allocated from the national budget in 2020 for the devolution funds.
This was made public by the Chairman Finance and general purposes committee, Babylon Beta who is also the Councilor for ward 8.
“Some capital projects have been deferred until such time when affordable funding is available on the market. External borrowing is mainly for the water augmentation programme, landfill, water mains upgrading Rhodene sewer upgrading. Mucheke truck sewer will be funded from the devolution funds.
“The need to move with the Water augmentation project is now greater than ever before and the completion of the Financial Feasibility will enhance that move,” said Beta.
The water augmentation phase two is now at a cost of $75m.
“The budget requirement for the Water Augmentation phase two that will entail construction of a duplicate water treatment plant is now $75m US as per the recently completed financial feasibility study report. Mobilisation of funding is now the focus,” said Beta.
Three boreholes were drilled at the cost of $387 120.24.
Talking to one of the residents, Sekai Mutoda said that the drilling of the boreholes was a blessing for them in their ward. “Water is a problem this side and the borehole saved us as there is no longer need for us to travel a distance to fetch water, we do line at the borehole but is better considering the proximity. We hope and pray more boreholes will be drilled for us to ease the water crisis and hope the budget does have more allocation for boreholes and we also need boreholes for irrigation,” said Mutoda.
$500 000 has been allocated for the construction of a secondary school in the high density of Rujeko. One of the residents from the area said they had long waited for its construction.
“At least the budget included the construction of the secondary school because it is something we had long waited for. Our kids had to travel long distances for them to reach the nearby secondary school and this was straining for them. So it is good news to us that next year the construction of the school will commence and hope it will not be on paper only,” said Farai Muzondo.
The residents of Masvingo, they were in high spiritswith the budget and how the budget included all areas and they wish all will go accordingly as planned and the works on Mucheke trunk sewer should be channeled towards completion.
