GOKWE town has secured a new fire tender bought using devolution funds.
This was disclosed by Information permanent-secretary Ndabaningi Mangwana in a statement.
“The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Midlands province, Hon Owen Ncube, commissioned a fire tender acquired by Gokwe Town Council using devolution funds,” Mangwana
said.
“The fire tender will enable the local authority to swiftly respond to fire outbreaks, road accidents and other emergencies within its area of jurisdiction and ensure protection and safety of property and life.”
The topic, however, evoked mixed sentiments from citizens, who questioned what happened to the fire tenders that government had procured from Belarus.
“Some were impounded by Lithuania. Some are being commissioned nationally,” Mangwana responded.
Lithuania is currently holding on to 17 fire engines seized in March 2023 while being shipped to Zimbabwe from neighbouring Belarus, which is under European Union sanctions.
Government procured 133 fire tenders from Belarus which were to be distributed to all 92 local authorities, with Harare and Bulawayo receiving four each.
