The Zimbabwean government has allocated $386 million to the Makonde Rural District Council for devolution-funded projects in 2022.
The council chairperson, Alderman Simbarashe Ziyambi, indicated that the projects will be identified and implemented in a gender-sensitive way, in accordance with the local government’s recently established gender policy framework.
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He revealed that the council had been given a budget of $386 million for the year 2022. Local governments are not imposed projects by the federal government. The local government is responsible for identifying key regions and determining which activities are necessary to address the issues in the area.
He went on to say that the council has intentionally focused on initiatives that benefit women, such as the construction of ready-to-use clinics in Gandavaroyi, Magogi, and Mupata.
The council has also drilled 12 solar-powered boreholes to improve the water supply in the region.
“As Makonde Rural District Council, we are committed to ensuring that women and girls participate fully in the economic and social programmes of the council without any discrimination.” Ziyambi further stated.
He urged women to participate in both the identification of activities that they wanted the council to fund with devolution funds and the national budget consultations. This is to ensure that equal opportunity is afforded to the residents while also empowering the women in the community who are generally disempowered in society.
At least 40 schools in the area, according to Ms Geytta Bunya, MRDC social services officer, have not been recognised as test centres. As a result, communities were forced to build more schools and healthcare facilities.
Some Scafell locals in Makonde’s Ward 6 applauded the government for releasing the funds, claiming that they would aid the region’s development. The Makonde Rural District Council has bought a motorised grader and a tipper, in addition to the government’s Emergency Road Rehabilitation Program (ERRP2), and is working on its large road network.
