From 'Mshikashika' Ambulances to New Fleets

From 'Mshikashika' Ambulances to New Fleets

…Gweru Residents Track Service Delivery Wins & Accountability Gaps

By Delicious Mathuthu

Midlands, Zimbabwe - Gweru City Council has made notable strides in addressing critical service delivery gaps, particularly in maternal healthcare and municipal transparency, according to a recent reflection meeting held by the Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) and the Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA).

The meeting, part of VISET's Local Authorities Citizen Engagement (LACE) program, brought together residents from across the city, almost all wards, to assess the program's impact, successes and ongoing challenges.

Maternal healthcare emerged as a key area of discussion, with residents highlighting both progress and persistent issues.

The local authority was lauded for addressing previous critical deficits.

"We talked on issues of maternal health, some were passionately talking about," said GRRA Executive Director, Cornilia Selipiwe.

"The other conversation I remember is that we talked of the issue of Mshikashika (Pirate Taxis) where pregnant women were hiring these taxis as ambulances," he said, reflecting on previous issues discussed during the program.

Residents confirmed significant improvements, including the procurement of two additional ambulances, bringing the city's fleet to three, though they noted the number is still not enough.

Further improvements include the provision of essential supplies at clinics.

"Provisions for pregnant women have improved, council now able to provide things like gloves and other needs which patients previously used to buy," one resident stated.

The local authority has also tackled infrastructure issues.

Residents noted the lighting problem at Mkoba Polyclinic, where people were previously asked to bring their own lights or candles, has been resolved with the installation and repair of a solar system which is a back up during electricity load-shedding.

Additionally, the council is moving to ease congestion.

"Now the local authority has plans to revive the Mkoba 1 maternity wing which has been budgeted for I think in 2026," a resident reported, expressing hope that it "will decongest Mkoba Polyclinic and make it easy for Mkoba South residents as it will be a walking distance."

Land has also been identified for a new clinic in Mkoba North near Mkoba 18 Shopping center.

The City Council also received praise for improved fiscal transparency and resident communication regarding the budget.

"This year they tried their best, some weeks before the budget consultation meetings they used hailers, flyers, adverts and so on, so for real, this time around they did their best," a resident commented on the council's effort to communicate the proposed budget and consultation meetings schedule.

On accountability, residents noted a positive change in reporting.

The local authority is now up to date in submitting its books to the Auditor General's office, with 2024 books already submitted, in what residents said is a demonstration of commitment to accountability.

The purpose of the review was to establish a clear picture of progress, according to VISET Programs Manager, also the Information and Publicity Officer, Jabulani Chikomwe.

"This is a reflection meeting, looking at what we have achieved since we started, where are the loopholes and where we are lagging behind so that our council can fix that, looking at the good and the bad," Chikomwe said.

"What are the successes and the challenges so that as we go into the next year we keep track of where council is committed, where they are now," he said.

Selipiwe said the goal is to ensure long-term change.

"Things that cannot be solved this year can be carried to the next year as advocacy issues," he said.

Despite the gains, a number of service delivery challenges remain.

A critical shortage of beds at Mkoba Polyclinic's maternity wing and the fact that it is the only clinic offering maternity services continue to restrict the number of pregnant women seen daily.

Furthermore, residents expressed the need for resident doctors or increased doctor availability on certain weekdays, and the availability of prescribed medication at clinics.

There is also a worry about a "drop in the number of people going to council clinics," which residents suspect is linked to high consultation costs after fees were almost doubled in 2025 from 2024.

Other areas highlighted requiring attention include the need for a self-loading ambulance, proper beds and toilets to accommodate Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and greater transparency regarding revenue from Private Public Partnerships (PPPs) Strategic Business Units.

GRRA also urged residents to take responsibility, encouraging them to pay their rates so the council can secure the resources needed to sustain and improve services.

Meanwhile, the Department of SMEs is working to improve the vendor registration process to ensure proper representation and organization within the city.