MARONDERA- Zanu PF councilors who managed to win council seats in Marondera Central
constituency in last month’s harmonised election say they will push the ruling party’s
development agenda at the local authority.
The party now has three councilors who will be deliberating on council issues alongside the
other nine from the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) who maintained their
majority.
CCC candidate Caston Matewu beat Zanu PF’s Cleopas Kundiona again to remain the
constituency’s National House of Assembly representative.
In the 2018 general elections, Zanu PF had a single winning councilor – Joel Mujaranji –
who always cut a lone figure but after winning again in Ward 12, he will be joined by two
fellow councilors from the ruling party who won as well in the August 23 plebiscite.
The two are Hilton Chipashu (Ward 7) and Moses Ndoro (Ward 5).
Chipashu emerged victorious in Ward 7 after shrugging off the challenges of outgoing
councilor Dominic Matangira and Godfrey Bhasvi (CCC), Chipo Bhasvi (MDC-T), Tendai
Makuni (UDA) and Gift Nezi (INDP).
In Ward 5, Ndoro defeated Forget Gosho (CCC) and Fabian Chidyagawa (MDC-T)
The other councilors who were mandated to formulate policies at the Municipality of
Marondera are former Mayor Chengetal Murowa (Ward 1), More Maradza (Ward 2),
Bornface Tagwirei (Ward 3), Charles Ngwena (Ward 4), Cephas Mazambani (Ward 6), Abel
Nyakarombo (Ward 8), Gresham Muponda (Ward 9), Thomson Magaluwa (Ward 10) and
Size Vilela (Ward 11).
Chipashu who is the secretary for production and labour in the Zanu PF Marondera District
Coordination Committee (DCC) told this publication that he, alongside his fellow councilors
from the ruling party, will not be push-overs in the council chamber as they will make robust
contributions.
“It is good that our party won some seats in Marondera Central even though those from the
opposition CCC party will be in the majority. In the elections, democracy prevailed and the
people from Ward 7 showed their confidence by electing me over others including Matangira
who had been winning in the previous three elections from 2008 up to 2018. During my
tenure as a councillor for Ward 7, I will embrace every resident because I will be
representing everyone.
“In the chamber, we will make our presence felt as Zanu PF councillors and we will push our
party’s development agenda. We might be the minority in terms of numbers but in terms of
contributing to sound council policies that can lead to the improvement of service delivery in
our town, we will be the majority. I am saying this in the sense that our councillors who will
be in the council chamber have the highest educational qualifications of them all. Myself and
councilor Ndoro hold Masters Degrees and we are at a higher level than those from the
political divide,” Chipashu said.
The councillor with 30 years’ experience in politics further stated that they will make
contributions that will lead to efficient service delivery in the provincial capital.
He said: “We want Marondera to be effectively functioning. There are several services that
are lacking and the situation has been further deteriorating ever since the opposition
councilors assumed power as the majority in council. We will push for people to get clean
water on their taps every day.
“Roads in all residential and industrial areas as well as in the Central Business District (CBD)
should be trafficable and the sewer reticulation issues have to be solved. As Zanu PF
councilors, we are ready to show why people opted for us in our Wards.”
His fellow, councillor Ndoro is also equally confident and raring to be part of the team that
will see real services being provided by the Municipality of Marondera.
He said: “The CCC is at its weakest because they have shown that they don’t have any idea
on how they can formulate or deliberate on policies that develop Marondera. We will be
there to push the development agenda of the Second Republic President Emmerson
Mnangagwa so that Zimbabwe can become an empowered upper-middle income economy
by the year 2030.”
Meanwhile, there have been reports that there are fissures within the CCC councilors in
Marondera Urban as four of them are vying for the Mayoral post.
The councilors are reported to have met in Dombotombo high density suburb to deliberate
on the issue and four of them – Chengetai Murowa who once held the post before being
recalled by his then MDC-T party, legislator Caston Matewu’s personal assistant Cephas
Mazambani, Size Vilela and Abel Nyakarombo – expressed their interest in the post.
