Kasukuwere, Mliswa on a collision course

LOCAL Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere has directed disgruntled Norton councillors to ignore their legislator Temba Mliswa and focus on service delivery.

The councillors have been complaining that Mliswa was interfering with their daily duties.

Kasukuwere reportedly told the councillors after a closed-door meeting at his government offices on Wednesday that they should not pick fights with politicians such as Mliswa.

Norton council chairperson Precious Mufahore said they tabled their grievances with the minister who in turn told them to stop fighting the lawmaker.

"We had a fruitful meeting with the minister and he told us to go back and work in our wards and leave the MP alone. We believe it is a fair directive from our authorities. We had gone with a clear message that service delivery is being disturbed by the MP," Mufahore said.

The meeting came after councillors resolved to alert the police and government of alleged interference from the MP, whom they said was now thwarting progress in the local authority.

The councillors went to Kasukuwere to "tame" Mliswa so that he sticks to his parliamentary roles and stop interfering with council's day-to-day activities.

"In our view, it is good that government now knows what we are facing as councillors and why service delivery is being disrupted by this man called Mliswa. We hope we shall continue focusing on service delivery," Mufahore said.

Besides engaging Kasukuwere, the councillors also resolved to engage the police for their personal safety as they feared that the MP could harm them.

Mufahore said Mliswa was giving orders to council workers, in the process creating a dual reporting structure.