By Chris Musekiwa
The Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) is celebrating 100 years of excellence and resilience in service delivery. The celebrations are being held under the theme, UCAZ @100, celebrating excellence and resilience. The celebrations were launched in Bulawayo during this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) week, 25 to 29 April 2023.
To mark the centenary, UCAZ in February this year established a Centenary Celebrations Organising Committee (CCOC) to spearhead the celebrations. The CCOC, led by His Worship the Mayor of Bulawayo Clr Solomon Mguni came up with activities that would be carried out as part of the celebrations. The activities include the production of a documentary chronicling the history of UCAZ; launch of the centenary celebrations in Bulawayo through a march from Bulawayo’s Centenary Park to the City Hall and an exhibition at the ZITF.
The curtain will come down in Mutare during the second week of June with a golf tournament, soccer and netball matches and an awards night. The Minister of Local Government and Public Works is expected to be the Guest of Honour at the final event.
The exhibition, held at the ZITF from 25 to 29 April 2023 was a resounding success as was the march held in the morning of 29 April 2023 which involved the Zimbabwe Republic Police band, drum majorettes, City of Bulawayo personnel from across its departments and their service delivery equipment, mayors, town clerks and councilors from all UCAZ members.
In the evening UCAZ hosted a dinner to launch the celebrations. The Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Honourable Marian Chombo graced the occasion and officially launched the celebrations. The Deputy Minister congratulated UCAZ for attaining a centenary and assured members that her ministry valued the important role UCAZ plays in local governance hence when an invitation was received the Ministry obliged. She added that the Ministry would be in Mutare to support the Association during the final event.
