Mnangagwa ally faces ouster as Kwekwe mayor

ZANU-PF Youths in Midlands on Wednesday besieged the Kwekwe Civic Centre where they staged a demo calling for the ouster of Kwekwe Mayor Councillor Matenda Madzoke for allegedly working in cahoots with axed former Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The troubled mayor faces a barrage of accusations among them disregarding President Mugabe, corruption and nepotism, among others. Vendors who were at the forefront of the demonstration, chanted anti-Madzoke slogans, sang and danced outside the Town House where they accused him and his council of neglecting them and disregarding President Mugabe.

Zanu-PF Kwekwe Youth League member who is also Kwekwe Vendors Association chairperson Cde Vengai Mabika had no kind words for the mayor and called for his immediate ouster.

"We are in support of the President's decision to fire the former VP who leads a faction that has caused us problems in this city. We therefore, call upon the President to investigate the council. The mayor should be fired together with those he works with," said Cde Mabika.

He added, "If someone does not listen to a minister (Saviour Kasukuwere) then he is disregarding the President. Minister Kasukuwere told him to give us clean places to operate from but he is pushing us to places where there are no toilets and water. He is corrupt and right now council officials have gone for more than five months without salaries, he should be fired just like his boss."

On Thursday morning, the youths also besieged the Kwekwe Short Distance Commuter Omnibus Rank where they removed all rank marshals accusing them of being corrupt and aligned to the axed VP. Zanu-PF Kwekwe Youth League Secretary for Security Cde Tichaona Chacha who led the youths said the move was part of President Mugabe's call to weed out corruption.

"We are celebrating the removal of corruption by our President and Amai (Dr Grace Mugabe) who are our leaders. So we have changed everything at this rank. All the rank marshals have been changed just like the changes made at the top by the President," said Cde Chacha.

The new leadership slashed all the charges by more than 50 percent with immediate effect.

"We have to make the gate takings affordable hence we have slashed the gate takings from $2 to $1 from 6am-6pm. We have reduced the money paid after 6pm from $2 to 50 cents with immediate effect," he said.

Contacted for comment, Clr Madzoke said people should stop using backdated personal grudges to try and plot his downfall.

"They don't know what is happening. There is a lot that is happening that they don't know, it's not their fault. But I know I am clean," said Clr Madzoke.

Meanwhile, the Zanu-PF Kwekwe Youth League has apologised to President Mugabe and First Lady Dr Amai Grace Mugabe for being heckled during the Interface rally that was held in Bulawayo. In a statement, party Kwekwe Youth League Secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Sifelani Derembwe said they were making investigations after it was revealed that some of those who were involved came from Kwekwe.

"We sincerely apologise to our President and First Family for what happened in Bulawayo and we promise that we are in looking into the matter. We therefore, want to reaffirm our support for the President and Amai," he said. Cde Derembwe said they were aware of people who bussed the rogue elements to Bulawayo to heckle the President.