MARTIN MAWAYA
SHURUGWI Town Council has set its sights on attaining municipality status before 2030, with newly appointed substantive town secretary Archibald Ncube expected to lead the transformational agenda.
Council chairperson Fanuel Machiya confirmed Ncube as substantive town secretary, commending his leadership during probation and tasking him with driving the local authority’s smart city vision.
“The new Town Secretary has done well during his probation period and transformed the outlook of this town. One of his main tasks is to take Shurugwi to municipality status and ensure that we embrace the smart city concept,” Machiya said.
Priority areas identified by the council include reliable water provision, road rehabilitation, housing development, and improved social amenities, alongside stronger stakeholder engagement.
Outlining his vision, Ncube told journalists that the local authority had crafted a Master Plan which proposes a 10km expansion of the town’s boundaries to include nearby farms such as Impali Source, Adare, Little Impali, Terrain, Methanol, Terraine and Magakooshla A and B.
He said consultations with Tongogara Rural District Council were already underway, with the proposal awaiting approval from the Minister of Local Government and Public Works.
“Water provision is my key priority so that residents have access to running water around the clock. This will be complemented by infrastructure development, including the rehabilitation of equipment, replacement of old water pipes, and installation of sewer systems in suburbs still lagging behind,” said Ncube.
He added that addressing the housing backlog, urban renewal, and the promotion of small businesses were also key in positioning Shurugwi as a model smart city by 2030.
During his probation, Ncube oversaw the completion of a trunk sewer line linking the town to Manzimudhaka and connecting suburbs such as Mambowa to the main system.
Ncube was on probation since May, before his confirmation as substantive town secretary.
