Chipinge Rural District Council Ward 20 Councillor, Charles Mugidho Mahlonga has blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for stalling development projects he had earmarked for his area.
By Artwell Sithole
In an interview with 263Chat, Mahlonga said the lockdown measures put in place by government to curb the spread of the deadly virus have resulted in their failure to hold meetings to discuss development projects including a planned clinic at Mbeure and classroom blocks at Mutorwa school.
“We have a lot of projects that we haven’t done because of COVID-19. Mbeure clinic is one of the project that we were supposed to have finished since council had already allocated funds under the devolution program. In Mutorwa village there were donors who were assisting towards the building of classroom blocks but this was affected by COVID-19,” he said.
Mahlonga added that schools have not been holding annual general meetings for School Development Committees (SDCs) which are pivotal in how the schools is run.
“We are failing to hold meetings because of COVID-19 for example schools annual general meetings which are guided by the statutory instrument 87 of 1992, health centre committees, Village Development Committees (VIDCO) and Ward Development Committees (WADCO),” added Mahlonga.
Ward 22 Councillor, Evelyn Mhuru echoed Mahlonga’s sentiments adding that most projects that were being done in her ward have stalled because of COVID-19.
” The Matezwa – Gumira road that was under construction has been affected, further more the donors that have been assisting us in rehabilitating the irrigation canals haven’t finished citing COVID-19,” said Mhuru.
COVID-19 has wrecked havoc in the country and slowed economic growth and development across the globe.
