Residents vow to snub corrupt councillors

Nqobile Ngwenya

Some Victoria Falls  residents have threatened  not to retain  opposition party  councilors  in this year’s harmonised elections for allegedly betraying them by defending corruption.

The astronomical rise of city rates are reportedly beyond the reach of ordinary residents.

Victoria Falls  Mayor, Somveli Dlamini conceded that  corruption is rampant in the city council and that the electorate are genuine in their assertions.

” I haven’t  made a decision  yet as to whether I will contest in the harmonised  elections. Yes, the electorate lost trust in some councilors. Some councilors were out to make themselves rich and people are aware of this hence they want to make some changes,” said the mayor adding that he is trying harder to fight corruption but many a times he ends up as the “victim.”

The opposition councilors are allegedly  worked in cahoots with the city council town clerk Ronnie Dube to misappropriate resources. Some councilors are alleged to have been involved in the allocation of residential  stands without following council procedures, leasing of the council brewery without the knowledge of the full council and allocating a US$84000  loan for the clerk to purchase his personal vehicle. 

Early this year, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works set up a probe team to  investigate allegations of corruption levelled against the the clerk by the Mayor and the residents association. 

According  to the Mayor, the Zimbabwe  Anti-Corruption Commission  later landed in the city purportiing to be investigating the clerk but he was surprised when they instead arrested him.

” Those with money do not get arrested. Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission came for Dube but surprisingly they arrested me. Other councilors are working with the  town clerk. I am on trial on allegations of fraud. This is a trumped up charge. I never committed this offence. I will be on trial on 4 April next week,” said Dlamini. 

Dlamini allegedly misrepresented to council that he was purchasing a residential stand for himself yet he was doing it for a relative  who is in the diaspora. He allegedly paid a deposit of USD$15000.

Political commentator and  social researcher, Dr Limukani Mathe urged the electorate not to vote back corrupt councilors into leadership.

“The city council has been run by these councillors for five years and my assessment  shows that the councilors have betrayed the electorate. Why should people vote for selfish people who got into council to enrich themselves and promote massive corruption? Service delivery is pathetic and rates are abnormally high. If the opposition retains the incumbent  councilors in the forthcoming  elections, ZANU PF will ride on that to victory.  Most of the councilors and the clerk are dishonest and the electorate should not be hoodwinked to give them another term,” said  Dr Mathe. 

A number of residents expressed displeasure  on the current  councilors’ conduct and they have vowed not to retain  them in the council board room.

“If the opposition is clever, they should discourage the incumbent  councilors from participating in the elections. We will not vote for them again. They should forget and smile. Rates are very high, water supply is erratic despite the fact that we are about 500m from the Zambezi River. Corruption  is the order of the day. I will not dare vote for them again,” said a ward 10 resident who identified himself as Themba. 

A resident of Mkhosana,  Susan Nyathi, declared that there is no reason she would vote for her  current  councillor.

” It is crystal clear that the council has failed. I call upon residents to shun them. We know a number of them who had no personal asserts but two years after we ushered them into the council boardroom, they purchased  houses and several movable and immovable asserts. These guys have no people at heart, they are selfish,” said Nyathi. She added that council has availed about 500 residential stands in the high density surbub which are  to be sold in April at a deposit of US$3000, far much beyond the means of many. 

Some residents said  they would rather vote for independent candidates if the opposition decides to recycle the current councilors.

“I will go for Zanu Pf or the independents if they recycle the dishonest councilors. For the opposition to be victorious, they should consider fielding different players, mostly locals.  Water meters are not working and their estimates are unrealistic and scary. The opposition councillors proposed higher rates  to  the detriment of the residents. It will be absurd to vote back such people into positions of trust and responsibility. There is no accountability and transparency,” said Gift from Aerodrome low density surbubs.

Victoria Falls is one of the most expensive cities in the country. It remains to be seen as to how many of the current councillors are retained this week as the opposition does its candidate selection.