News / Regional
Councillor runs amok, 'beats up' female residents
30 Aug 2012 at 02:44hrs | Views
GWERU'S Ward 19 councillor in Mkoba, Clemence Kwaru, reportedly ran amok and assaulted two female residents who were part of a group which besieged his house accusing him of failing to present their problems to the council. One of the assaulted women, Ms Maria Moyo, filed an assault report against the councillor at Nehanda Police Station.
Residents who witnessed the incident, which occurred at the weekend, said the police later picked up Clr Kwaru for questioning and released him.
"We were surprised as residents by the violent behaviour exhibited by our councillor. Instead of listening to the residents' grievances, he chose to be violent and assaulted two female residents. He also threatened to assault everyone who had visited his homestead with service delivery grievances," said a resident who witnessed the incident.
The residents said everyone who visited Clr Kwaru's house had to scurry for cover as the councillor threatened to beat them.
"He then assaulted two women including Ms Moyo as the group was trying to flee from the violent councillor," said another resident.
The witnesses said residents were now afraid of presenting their grievances to Clr Kwaru following the incident.
They accused their councillor of neglecting them and failing to address the water problems they were facing in their ward.
"We have not been receiving water in this part of Mkoba for years now, but our councillor has done nothing to help us out of this dire situation.
"We have, however, continued to receive water bills from the city council despite several pleas to Clr Kwaru to intervene and take our grievances to the city council," said a resident.
The residents said a number of them had gone to Clr Kwaru at the weekend to try and persuade him to engage the council over the water bills when he later became violent and allegedly assaulted the two women.
Clr Kwaru dismissed the assault allegation as mere fabrication by residents when he was contacted for comment yesterday.
He accused some residents of trying to play "dirty politics" in a desperate bid to tarnish his image.
"There was no violence whatsoever. You can go to Nehanda Police Station and get my full statement.
I was picked up by the police after the residents made a false report of assault, but nothing like that happened," said Clr Kwaru.
Clr Kwaru who declined to shed light on what transpired said the residents who made the "false" assault report to the police were refusing to pay tariffs to the council.
He said some residents who were not willing to pay were leaving the council bills at his house.
"When they received letters of demand from the city council, they came to me as if I am the council," he said.
Residents who witnessed the incident, which occurred at the weekend, said the police later picked up Clr Kwaru for questioning and released him.
"We were surprised as residents by the violent behaviour exhibited by our councillor. Instead of listening to the residents' grievances, he chose to be violent and assaulted two female residents. He also threatened to assault everyone who had visited his homestead with service delivery grievances," said a resident who witnessed the incident.
The residents said everyone who visited Clr Kwaru's house had to scurry for cover as the councillor threatened to beat them.
"He then assaulted two women including Ms Moyo as the group was trying to flee from the violent councillor," said another resident.
The witnesses said residents were now afraid of presenting their grievances to Clr Kwaru following the incident.
They accused their councillor of neglecting them and failing to address the water problems they were facing in their ward.
"We have not been receiving water in this part of Mkoba for years now, but our councillor has done nothing to help us out of this dire situation.
"We have, however, continued to receive water bills from the city council despite several pleas to Clr Kwaru to intervene and take our grievances to the city council," said a resident.
The residents said a number of them had gone to Clr Kwaru at the weekend to try and persuade him to engage the council over the water bills when he later became violent and allegedly assaulted the two women.
Clr Kwaru dismissed the assault allegation as mere fabrication by residents when he was contacted for comment yesterday.
He accused some residents of trying to play "dirty politics" in a desperate bid to tarnish his image.
"There was no violence whatsoever. You can go to Nehanda Police Station and get my full statement.
I was picked up by the police after the residents made a false report of assault, but nothing like that happened," said Clr Kwaru.
Clr Kwaru who declined to shed light on what transpired said the residents who made the "false" assault report to the police were refusing to pay tariffs to the council.
He said some residents who were not willing to pay were leaving the council bills at his house.
"When they received letters of demand from the city council, they came to me as if I am the council," he said.
Source - TC
