Zanu PF Gwanda council in turmoil

Politics
CRACKS have emerged in the Zanu PF-dominated Gwanda municipality amid reports of a power struggle between the mayor and some councillors.

CRACKS have emerged in the Zanu PF-dominated Gwanda municipality amid reports of a power struggle between the mayor and some councillors.

Albert Ncube Own Correspondent

Matters came to a head last Wednesday when mayor Knowledge Ndlovu threw out fellow Zanu PF councillor Thulani Moyo out of a full council meeting.

Although the meeting had been reportedly called to discuss water problems in the town, it got heated when councillors started to discuss communication problems in the municipality.

Councillors reportedly wanted to clip Moyo’s wings accusing him of interfering with the mayor’s duties. Sources who attended the meeting and spoke on condition of anonymity said Ndlovu and Moyo, the chairperson of the housing committee, were involved in a bitter exchange of words. Councillor Wilson Dube is said to have ignited the debate when he accused unnamed councillors of trying to topple the mayor.

This is said to have infuriated Moyo who continuously spoke ignoring orders by the mayor to keep quiet, leading to his ejection from chambers.

Sources said Moyo lambasted the mayor on his way out saying he was not afraid of him and had better things to do since he is a businessman and had lots of money. He also accused councillors Dube and Mduduzi Malaba Ncube of being the mayor’s blue-eyed boys who received bribes in the form of beef. Ndlovu runs a butchery.

Ndlovu had reportedly warned Moyo against overriding him telling him he was the man in charge and therefore deserved respect as the mayor. The Zanu PF party leadership chose Ndlovu to lead the town ahead of Moyo who had also shown interest in the position after the July 31 harmonised polls.

Moyo is accused of plotting Ndlovu’s ouster once he completes one year in office. He reportedly has the backing of some top Zanu PF officials to take over from Ndlovu.

Moyo confirmed that he was thrown out of the meeting, but denied reports that he harboured ambitions of becoming mayor.

“The mayor is right to use his powers to his advantage, but I was told to shut up in the middle of my debate and I don’t think that’s appropriate,” he said.

“I have no hard feelings towards the mayor. I am a Christian and I am not dreaming of becoming a mayor.”

Moyo said he was being persecuted by Ndlovu after he objected to the mayor being given $2 700 following his injury during a charity football match in December last year. Moyo said Ndlovu had been paid the money by council for the injury he sustained in a match meant to raise funds for the less privileged.

“I questioned which policy management had used in compensating the mayor for his injury as I stand for the truth unlike other councillors,” he added.

Moyo said at one time one councillor left council chambers in a huff, but the mayor never took action as prescribed in the Urban Councils Act. Contacted for comment, the mayor said it was procedural for councillors to be ejected from chambers when they misbehaved but refused to speak about the alleged rift with Moyo.

“It happens even in Parliament when a member disrupts a meeting, he can be ejected so that normalcy is restored,” Ndlovu said.