Municipal Reporter- The recent appointment of a Checheche Centre Board Committee by the government has caused confusion among residents who now mistakenly believe the growth point has officially been elevated to town status.
While excitement is brewing, the reality is that the long-awaited dream of Checheche becoming a town is still in progress but not quite there yet.
The confusion is fueled by local land barons with political connections, who have long pushed for the premature transformation of the area into a town to seize land and exploit desperate home seekers.
These individuals have been pressuring the Chipinge Rural District Council to speed up the process of upgrading the growth point.
Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe, in a letter dated 31 July 2024 to Chipinge Rural District Council Chairperson Councillor Godfrey Makuyana, announced the establishment of a Checheche Centre Town Board Committee. The letter stated:
“In terms of section 57 of the Rural District Council Act Chapter 29:13, I hereby appoint Checheche Centre as a Town Board Committee. The committee will be responsible for managing and leading development at Checheche Centre.”
The operational team, chaired by Deputy Director of Rural Local Authorities Mr C. Mudavanhu, includes officials like Mr M. Mazani, Deputy Director of Spatial Planning, and Ms L. Sebele, Financial Advisor. The team has a clear set of terms to guide their work, including defining boundaries and allocating assets between the Rural District Council and the new Town Board.
Chipinge Rural District Council CEO Mr. Blessing Mamvosha clarified that Checheche is not yet a town.
The creation of the committee is a step toward managing the Centre’s affairs. “If Checheche continues to grow, it will eventually be upgraded into a local board,” Mamvosha explained.
Despite this, local residents are celebrating what they believe is the granting of town status.
Shumirayi Muyambo, a local vegetable vendor, was thrilled, saying, “We are excited! We will now have brisk business and markets for our vegetables under proper shelter.”
A prominent businessman shared similar sentiments, anticipating Checheche’s independence and even hoping for the appointment of a mayor. “Checheche will soon be one of the greatest business towns in Manicaland,” he said.
However, Claris Madhuku, Director of the Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD), cautioned against misinformation. “Checheche has not yet attained town status. The letter from the Minister merely sets up a semi-autonomous committee to evaluate the growth point’s potential.”
Madhuku also expressed concerns over the political agenda driving the push for town status.
He emphasised that while Checheche’s transformation aligns with the National Development Strategy 1’s decentralisation goal, the process must involve all stakeholders to resolve administrative and boundary issues.” At PYCD we have been clear that the process of conferring Checheche with town status should be exhaustive where all key stakeholders are involved so that the boundaries, assets and other sticking admnstrative issues are resolved amicably,” explained Mr Claris Madhuku
Appointed as a growth point in 1982, Checheche spans 1,055 hectares, with rising demand for land sparking boundary disputes.
While the prospect of becoming a town is promising, it remains contingent on completing the necessary stages of becoming a local board first.
The excitement is palpable, but the road to town status is far from over.