Local Government, Urban Housing and Rural Development Deputy Minister Sesil Zvidzai has promised Ruwa residents, an early Christmas present in the form of running water to their households following the successful completion of a US$3 million water pipeline project.

The water pipeline was completed but is not pumping water yet as a result of lack of funds to install electricity required for the pumping of the water from Greenskyes dam located some 15km from the town.

Zvidzai was addressing members of the Ruwa Town during a tour of the water pipeline project that was commissioned by the council early this year and is posed to ease perennial water shortages in the town as well as Harare suburbs of Mabvuku and Tafara.

"I am pleased with what Ruwa Town is doing and will make sure that by Christmas the residents will have water at their doorsteps as their present. As a ministry we are going to lobby the Minister of Finance to release the US$500 000 required by ZESA for the electrification of the water station so that residents get the water."

He added that Ruwa was peforming very well compared to other local authorities.

"They are actually collecting about 60% of their revenue and this is contributing towards the better service delivery to the residents.

Tumire housing project is doing well with close to 3000 residential stands contributing towards the reduction of a housing backlog.

Chief Secretary in the Office of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Ian Makone, also commended Ruwa town and said that he would engage the PM to visit Ruwa and witness the deliverables the council has achieved.

"The PM is the supervisor of all Government ministries and will engage him to come and visit Ruwa and see for himself what the council has done for its people. He has a soft spot for Ruwa and at one time he wanted to visit and I know he will come. You are actually doing a good job for the residents," Makone said.

Ruwa Town Planner Enias Chidhakwa told the Deputy Minister of the challenges that the council faced such as inadequate land for development and use.

"The council is facing serious shortage of land that is critical for use. We are resorting to burying the dead in Goromonzi because Ruwa has run out of space to conduct burials. Moreso, we dump garbage in Epworth and this is costing council much since that money could have been used for development purposes," he said.

Among other projects that were toured by Zvidzai were a polyclinic, primary school and boreholes drilled in the residential suburbs to ease water shortages.