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Mnangagwa shields Ruwa Local Board assets from seizure, sale
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa has exercised his emergency powers to protect the assets of the Ruwa Local Board from sale and seizure, responding to a dire situation that threatens the well-being of the town's residents. The decision comes after the High Court ordered on June 18, 2024, that the board's assets be auctioned to settle an outstanding debt.
The assets in question, which include vital service delivery equipment such as refuse compactors, graders, sewer pumps, and vehicles, are essential for maintaining basic public services. With a population of approximately 300,000 residents, the absence of these services could lead to uncollected waste, blocked sewers, and burst water pipes, raising the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
In a recent Government Gazette, President Mnangagwa highlighted the critical nature of these assets. He stated that the attachment of the movable assets would severely impact the local authority's ability to deliver essential services. "The inability to provide the aforesaid services in consequence of the attachment is likely to expose residents of the local authority and its neighbours to catastrophic health risks resulting from uncollected refuse, no road works, sewer blockages, and interrupted water supply from burst pipes," the Gazette read.
The President emphasized the urgent need for action, noting that the lives of over 300,000 residents were at immediate risk of contracting diseases if the local authority could not restore its service delivery capabilities. "Now, therefore, His Excellency the President, in terms of section 2 of the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act [Chapter 10:20], hereby makes the following regulations: all assets of the local authority that were attached or are threatened with attachment and sale in execution by virtue of High Court order number HC 5365/22, are hereby released from attachment," the Gazette further stated.
This regulation allows the Ruwa Local Board to retain possession of the crucial equipment, enabling it to resume service delivery without further delay. The decision has been welcomed by local leaders and residents who feared the consequences of a potential public health crisis due to the auctioning of essential service equipment.
President Mnangagwa's intervention underscores the government's commitment to ensuring the health and safety of citizens while navigating the challenges faced by local authorities in fulfilling their responsibilities.
The assets in question, which include vital service delivery equipment such as refuse compactors, graders, sewer pumps, and vehicles, are essential for maintaining basic public services. With a population of approximately 300,000 residents, the absence of these services could lead to uncollected waste, blocked sewers, and burst water pipes, raising the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
In a recent Government Gazette, President Mnangagwa highlighted the critical nature of these assets. He stated that the attachment of the movable assets would severely impact the local authority's ability to deliver essential services. "The inability to provide the aforesaid services in consequence of the attachment is likely to expose residents of the local authority and its neighbours to catastrophic health risks resulting from uncollected refuse, no road works, sewer blockages, and interrupted water supply from burst pipes," the Gazette read.
The President emphasized the urgent need for action, noting that the lives of over 300,000 residents were at immediate risk of contracting diseases if the local authority could not restore its service delivery capabilities. "Now, therefore, His Excellency the President, in terms of section 2 of the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act [Chapter 10:20], hereby makes the following regulations: all assets of the local authority that were attached or are threatened with attachment and sale in execution by virtue of High Court order number HC 5365/22, are hereby released from attachment," the Gazette further stated.
This regulation allows the Ruwa Local Board to retain possession of the crucial equipment, enabling it to resume service delivery without further delay. The decision has been welcomed by local leaders and residents who feared the consequences of a potential public health crisis due to the auctioning of essential service equipment.
President Mnangagwa's intervention underscores the government's commitment to ensuring the health and safety of citizens while navigating the challenges faced by local authorities in fulfilling their responsibilities.
Source - newsday
