A partnership between Mutare City Council and Dutch water-sector companies is improving access to safe and reliable water for residents of Gimboki in Mutare, with hundreds of households benefiting from new water connections and community water kiosks.
The development was revealed during an oversight visit by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, which assessed urban development initiatives and housing programmes in Mutare as part of its nationwide exercise to evaluate service delivery and efforts to improve living conditions.
In a statement, yesterday, the Committee said the Gimboki project demonstrated the importance of partnerships in addressing urban service delivery challenges facing local authorities, particularly in expanding access to essential services.
“The Committee noted progress in Gimboki, where a partnership between Mutare City Council and private Dutch water-sector companies has expanded access to safe water through household connections and community water kiosks, improving the lives of hundreds of residents,” Parliament said.
Parliament said such initiatives were critical in supporting sustainable urban development and ensuring that residents in emerging settlements benefit from essential services.
“The visit formed part of the Committee’s nationwide oversight programme aimed at assessing housing delivery, urban renewal initiatives and efforts to improve living conditions across the country,” Parliament said.
The Committee’s visit to Mutare also included an assessment of Sakubva, one of Zimbabwe’s oldest high-density suburbs, which was established in 1925 to accommodate single male workers before developing into a densely populated residential community.
While Sakubva continues to face challenges linked to ageing infrastructure, overcrowding and recurring sewer problems, the progress recorded in Gimboki highlighted the positive impact that targeted investment and partnerships can have in improving urban services.
The Committee said lessons from successful projects such as the Gimboki water programme could help inform future interventions aimed at enhancing urban renewal and expanding access to basic services in communities across the country.
