New town to be built outside Bulawayo

A NEW town is set to be established in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province which will be independent from the jurisdiction and laws of the Bulawayo City Council, a move that is expected to ease accommodation problems. The Government has already started drawing plans for the new town, with engineers and other town planning experts already on the ground to survey the area.

Speaking during the just ended Zim Asset Bulawayo stakeholders engagement conference held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds yesterday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Engineer George Mlilo revealed that all was now in place for the establishment of the town and they were working at handing over the developmental plans to Provincial Affairs Minister Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo.

He said the idea was for the town to be modern and be open to innovations that will not only solve the accommodation problems but also create employment.

"We have already identified the land where this town will be established which is about 7 700 hectares, we have already started the drawings for this, our engineers have already visited the area to do feasibility studies. What is left right now is that we complete the plans, which we will hand over to the Provincial Affairs Minister. This town will be completely independent from the Bulawayo City Council and councillors meaning it won't be governed by by-laws, resolutions or the leadership of BCC. Actually we want Bulawayo and its mayor to be onlookers as this town grows," said Eng Mlilo.

He said the Government has noted that the prospects of Bulawayo to accommodate the modern city were very slim hence the move to establish the new town.

"We will also be engaging young minds during its construction phase so that there be some innovation and creativity as we establish it. We want to be open to ideas as we push for the employment of our educated youths, whom we are very confident will help establish it to be one of the topmost cities or towns in the region," said Eng Mlilo.

He said emphasis was on addressing the accommodation problems in the country and pushing towards modernity and urbanisation.

"Our ministry is very much geared towards achieving the goals of Zim Asset especially focusing on the creation of employment for men, women and youths who will work in the construction of this town. One might think that 7 700 hectares is not enough but since we are saying that this will be a modern town, we will push at growing upwards where we will establish high rise apartment buildings for accommodation purposes. This town will also be governed by Modern Building by-laws not these other laws which are meant to punish people," said Eng Mlilo.

The Permanent Secretary further expressed concern at the urban decay in Bulawayo which he said was now a main characteristic of the city. He said there was something urgent which had to be done towards the state of some of the city's oldest suburbs which included Makokoba, Mabuthweni, Njube and Old Magwegwe.

"Talking of modernity and urbanisation it is very disappointing that you find that people are still staying at colonial hostels; Burombo, Sidojiwe and Vundu. Our ministry is working at a plan where we move people from those hostels as they were condemned long back, finding alternative accommodation for the people who stay there. Those hostels should just be monuments so that we can show future generations where we came from rather than accommodating people," said Eng Mlilo.