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Kasukuwere in ambitious housing project

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LOCAL Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere has disclosed that his ministry will soon roll out an ambitious “Own Your Own Home” scheme targeting 128 000 housing units by 2018.

LOCAL Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere has disclosed that his ministry will soon roll out an ambitious “Own Your Own Home” scheme targeting 128 000 housing units by 2018.

BY RICHARD CHIDZA

In a speech read on his behalf by the ministry’s housing director Lexton Kuwanda at the launch of Galloway Estate second phase in Norton on Saturday, Kasukuwere said the project would bring together stakeholders in the sector including financial institutions.

The Norton housing project is being developed by Chivi Rural District Council chairperson Killer Zivhu’s Zimbabwe Amalgamated Housing Association (ZAHA). kasukuwere “Government is acutely aware of the fact that the national housing backlog stands at 1,2 million units. As part of its national policy under the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio- Economic Transformation (ZimAsset), we have set a target of 128 000 housing units by 2018.

“To this end, the ministry will launch the ‘Own Your Own Home’ scheme in partnership with financial institutions. Under the scheme, government will provide State land to local authorities across the country, while individuals will be asked to open specific accounts with these institutions and pay towards their homes,” Kasukuwere said. “It is an arrangement akin to a mortgage scheme.”

Kasukuwere paid tribute to Zivhu for the way the Zanu PF politician had gone about developing the project that has about 3 000 stands ranging from 1 500-5 000 square metres.

“Government appreciates these kinds of projects and we commend Zivhu for the way he has legally gone about, making sure that this development meets all the requirements of both central and local authorities.

“This is a direct injection to government efforts as we seek to meet our targets within the rubric of ZimAsset. We need to make sure though that these schemes are affordable by the generality of our people and other developers should take a leaf out of what has been done here at Galloway,” the Local Government minister said.

Kasukuwere, since assuming the position a few months ago, has been on the war path against “land barons” with almost 50 people arrested for the illegal sale of State land and duping unsuspecting homeseekers.