Tsvangirai street name change hits brick wall

A PROPOSAL by youthful MDC-T councillor, Godfrey Kurauone to have Masvingo town's Hofmeyer Street named after the late opposition leader, Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, recently hit a brick wall after the local authority realised that it had no powers to change street names.

Ward 4 councillor, Kurauone recently proposed that Hofmeyer, probably the third busiest street in Masvingo be renamed after Tsvangirai. He said that this was in honour of the crucial role that the iconic leader played in entrenching democracy in Zimbabwe.

However, after further research it was realised that local authorities have no powers to rename the streets. They can only name new streets.

In terms of the Urban Councils Act section 212 (1), the naming of roads and streets within council areas is the prerogative of the Local Government ministry.

"The council may from time to time assign names to roads within the council area and cause the name of any road to be affixed to or painted on any house, building or other structure fronting upon any part of such road."

Masvingo town clerk, Adolf Gusha said: "As a local authority we have no powers to rename any streets, but we have powers to name any streets without seeking any powers from the Local Government ministry."