Story by Tamuka Charakupa
MASHONALAND West’s efforts to improve water service delivery have received a major boost, after Indian investor LifeFirst Concepts and Technologies expressed readiness to partner with local authorities to enhance access to clean and reliable water.
The company’s executive team, which has been in Zimbabwe for months exploring investment opportunities, was drawn to Mashonaland West after attending the Provincial Investment Conference held in Kariba earlier this year.
Meeting representatives from all 14 local authorities in Chinhoyi this Wednesday, LifeFirst Concepts and Technologies Chief Executive Officer Mr Sagar Shah, said the company is committed to bringing modern solutions to longstanding water challenges.
“As LifeFirst Concepts and Technologies Pvt Ltd, we specialise in water and wastewater treatment, sanitation and hydration monitoring technologies. We are keen to partner with councils to ensure residents have clean and continuous water supplies,” he said.
The firm plans to introduce decentralised water augmentation systems aimed at reducing delivery costs, with a materials manufacturing plant scheduled to open in Harare early next year.
“Our plant will start producing materials by January next year, reducing the import bill while creating jobs,” noted LifeFirst Concepts and Technologies Pvt Ltd chairperson, Mr Albert Mnangagwa.
Local authorities expressed optimism that the partnership could ease the long-standing pressures of providing adequate water services.
“Their decentralised water systems, in particular, could help us cut the high costs of pumping and reticulation while improving reliability. This partnership gives us renewed confidence that, working together, we can finally address the long-standing water service delivery gaps that have affected residents for years,” Mashonaland West Provincial chairperson of the Association of Rural District Councils, Mr Misheck Nyarubero said.
Acting Chinhoyi town clerk Engineer Simon Marara weighed in, “As a local authority, we are looking forward to the fruition of the deal. We are currently supplying 22 million mega-litres of water against the daily demand of 64 million mega litres, so we see this as a development which will help us address water challenges.”
Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Honourable Marian Chombo implored a collective effort to improve service delivery in line with the national vision.
“Vision 2030 will become a reality through cooperation. The President wants targets met by 2028, and we must work even harder using the whole-of-government approach,” she said.
Mashonaland West has 14 local authorities, including seven rural councils whose Growth Points are rapidly developing into urban centres.
“As LifeFirst Concepts and Technologies Pvt Ltd, we specialise in water and wastewater treatment, sanitation and hydration monitoring technologies. We are keen to partner with councils to ensure residents have clean and continuous water supplies,” he said.
The firm plans to introduce decentralised water augmentation systems aimed at reducing delivery costs, with a materials manufacturing plant scheduled to open in Harare early next year.
