MDC-T plans Bulawayo protest

THE MDC-T is planning a demonstration on Bulawayo streets next month in a bid to prop up its councillors who are under attack for alleged corruption and running down the city. The planned demonstration is the second after a violent march by the MDC-T in Harare two weeks ago.

MDC-T Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Mandla Sibanda said the Bulawayo demo would also target Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, who recently attacked the BCC for not taking the city's housing backlog seriously.

"We've a demonstration planned for May, it will be bigger than that of Harare," claimed Sibanda. "The theme is largely the same, although there're some things that we'll be demonstrating on relevant to this part of the country.

"We'll be demonstrating against the involvement of Kasukuwere in the affairs of the Bulawayo City Council. We feel that he's interfering with the good running of the BCC which is the best-run council in the country."

Since Independence in 1980, the BCC has won plaudits as the best run council — but fears are growing that the current crop of MDC-T councillors are on a looting spree, demonstrated by parcelling out land to each other at less than commercial value.

Bulawayo residents, through the Bulawayo Progressive Residents' Association, have since petitioned Parliament to order an investigation into the alleged illegal land grabbing involving some councillors.

Sibanda, when asked about allegations that MDC-T councillors are using their positions to loot, challenged those with proof to come forward.

"I don't know where those allegations are coming from, but the council was voted for by the people and when they've any reservations, it's the people that will remove them. What I know is that they hold a number of feedback meetings and nothing of that sort has been raised," he said.

Gift Banda will soon be constructing town houses at Ascot Race Course after the Bulawayo city council granted him permission to buy land worth $130,000. The land, measuring 3,5 hectares, will be used to construct town houses for middle to high income earners.

Local campaigners were outraged after deputy mayor Gift Banda was revealed to have been allocated a portion of the famous Ascot Race Course last year — some 3.5 hectares of land.

Two councillors, James Sithole of Ward 7 and Charles Moyo of Ward 9, are also said to have been given town house stands in Parklands measuring 3.7 hectares and 2.3 hectares at below commercial rates.

Rowdy MDC-T youths, during a demonstration in Harare two weeks ago, attacked a security guard at a Choppies Zimbabwe outlet before vandalising property inside.

Choppies Zimbabwe director Siqokoqela Mphoko said the destructive behaviour by the MDC-T youths has potential to harm the country's investment potential.

Police national spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba warned that law enforcement agents would not sit back and watch criminality as they have a constitutional mandate to protect life and property.