Solar power project for Guruve

GURUVE Rural District Council has partnered Solartech on a 20-megawatt solar energy project that will supply power to the national grid.

The local authority’s chief executive Mr Tinos Marisa, confirmed the development last week and said they had availed 40 hectares for the project, which is arguably the biggest in the district since independence.

“The project is expected to start soon and it will be at Dunavet Farm, which is adjacent to Guruve Prison. Solartech will be injecting capital, while we availed the land. When complete, the project will generate 20-megawatts that will feed onto the national grid.

“We have ideal weather conditions for the project. Apart from the rentals that the company will be paying to the local authority, a percentage of their profits will be channelled into the coffers of the community share ownership trust. We are very excited about this project because it will create employment for the locals and help in developing Guruve,” said Mr Marisa.

He said since the new dispensation came into office last November, a new service station was constructed at Guruve Growth Point, while another one was almost complete.

“Things are moving here and very soon we will be having a changed Guruve Growth Point. We have been working on improving water reticulation in partnership with Zimbabwe National Water Authority. The project is being funded to the tune of $1,7 million by the World Bank. As we speak, 2 000 households are now connected to the water system.

“On completion 3 000 households will benefit. Out of the 3 000 stand holders at Guruve Growth Point, only 500 households had access to water in the past few years,” he said.

Mr Marisa said they had already pegged 741 medium-density residential stands in the area and 100 stands were allocated to the Ministry of Defence.

“We have already opened roads in the area where we pegged the residential stands and we hope the Ministry of Defence will move in soon to construct their houses. Some of the beneficiaries are busy constructing their houses.

“We also managed to refurbish the Shinje water reticulation system. The area which also houses council houses did not have water for a long time. With the availability of water, we have now serviced some stands there and they are being snapped by private buyers,” he said.

The council in partnership with Lower Manyame Sub-Catchment Area and ZINWA also completed the construction of Shinje Weir and Mukuva Weir dams. The two water bodies will be used for irrigation and for livestock in their respective areas.

“We are mobilising the local communities to pool resources and establish irrigation schemes in these areas. We also managed to drill boreholes and one of them is now supplying water to our offices. One of the boreholes was drilled at Nyandoro Primary School and the school now has tapped water in teachers’ houses,” he said.

On roads rehabilitation, Mr Marisa, said they had covered considerable ground.

“We managed to reseal 1,6km of the road from Guruve Hotel to Guruve Hospital Junction to a tune of $100 000. We have completed the resealing of 2km of the 12km Ruyamuro to Marirambada Road. $490 000 was set aside for the project, which we expect to complete before the onset of the rainy season. We also rehabilitated 800m of the road network at Guruve Growth Point. Most of our roads were serviced, save for Ward 13,” he said.

Mr Marisa said they had also managed to open Nyamufuta Clinic in Ward Two in the resettlement area and would cater for 5 000 villagers.

The clinic is now being manned by seven nurses.

Another health facility, Makombe Clinic is set to be opened soon as they await the drilling of a borehole.

“We have already paid the contractor and the clinic will be opened as soon as water is availed. We hope that the clinic will be opened in the next two months,” he said.