Lupane residents petition Kasukuwere over Kuipa's appointment

LUPANE residents have submitted a petition to the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Saviour Kasukuwere denouncing the recent appointment of commissioners to the Lupane Local Board .

The Minister recently appointed Lupane State University Vice Chancellor Professor Pardon Kuipa and Lupane District Administrator Mrs Ennety Sithole as commissioners.

Residents drafted a petition demanding the removal of the two from the board saying locals were better placed to drive the development agenda of the local authority.

Part of the petition reads: "We, the residents of Lupane wish to register our strong objections to these appointments. Relevant stakeholders such as residents and local leadership including chiefs were never consulted on possible candidates for appointment."

"Kwakaipa kuisa Kuipa idolobho lethu. Asimfuni kahambe! (It's bad to put Kuipa in charge of our town. We don't want him, he must go)."

The residents in the petition allege that the Minister had left locals in the cold like other ministers before him have done.

"Like your predecessors, who also never bothered to consult, resulting in placement of incompetent persons you also deprived Lupane of an opportunity to chart their development agenda. This appointment totally disregards the principles and beauty of devolution which are enshrined in our constitution.

"It is only locals who can sustainably facilitate and accelerate the development of their commitments. Minister, developmental decisions about Lupane must be indigenous and not foreign. It is good and devolutionary to always engage and have consultative decisions. Lupane says NO to imposition. Asifuni Bumbulu, Lupane is for Lupane people. Lupane has capable people to lead the development agenda of the town," the petition reads.

The residents argued that appointing a university vice chancellor was going to compromise his commitment both at the university and at the local board.

"Minister, Kuipa will have divided attention where he is supposed to grow the young Lupane State University and our town," the petition reads.

Speaking in a telephone interview on Saturday , Minister Kasukuwere said: "I'm aware of the matter. However, I'm unable to say much as I am not in the office. Call me on Monday as I will be able to respond to your questions properly from my office."

Chief Mabhikwa of Lupane area said he felt that his people had been sidelined from a process that they needed to spearhead the growth of their area.

"As a leader, I strongly feel that my people have been left out as no consultations were made to include us. Nothing can be for Lupane people without Lupane people," said the chief.

"My people approached me as their leader to tell me about the issue, expressing their concern and disgruntlement. Pardon Kuipa has not been in Lupane for a long time and he has not been in the residents' association. My people want a permanent resident of Lupane not someone who has been brought to Lupane just by their job."

He said the posts did not need "fundis" but people who had an understanding of what local people needed.

"From my understanding, even the Minister of State for our province was also not consulted, so we just feel that this is being imposed on us.

"The bottom line is that Lupane people want a local, someone who has a birth connection with Lupane and has the place at heart. Lupane is not for visitors but for locals. We cannot have visitors leading us yet we have locals who are equally capable," he said.