CCC mayor, Zanu MP fight over tuck-shops

Tensions flared between Kwekwe City CCC Mayor Albert Zinhanga and former Zanu-PF Mbizo MP Vongaiishe Mupereri on Tuesday during a public event in Mbizo 15, as the two clashed over the issue of illegal tuck-shops operating within the city.

The confrontation occurred during the official opening of a revenue hall in Mbizo 15, where Midlands Minister of State, Owen Ncube, was the guest of honor. Zinhanga took the opportunity to address the growing issue of unlicensed tuck-shops, urging Ncube to intervene and assist the local government in shutting them down.

The mayor expressed concern that these informal businesses were proliferating across the city, operating without the necessary licenses or payment of municipal rates, which he said was depriving the city of much-needed revenue.

"We have witnessed the construction of unsanctioned tuck-shops that have mushroomed everywhere, and some of them are in undesignated areas. When our municipal officers are collecting revenue, these people hide behind politicians. We need your help, honorable Minister, so that we have the situation under control," Zinhanga appealed to Minister Ncube.

However, the issue quickly became a point of contention as Mupereri, who was present at the event, openly acknowledged his support for the tuck-shops and rejected any efforts to close them down.

"The mayor has asked you to intervene on tuck-shops. It is true that I am behind those tuck-shops, but you should allocate people places to establish their tuck-shops," Mupereri said, adding that he would not allow the local council to shut down the businesses unless designated spaces were provided for them.

Mupereri further stated, "If you don't allocate them spaces, I will allow them to do their business so that they will not die of hunger. We have plenty of places where you can allocate them spaces. I am now talking politics, as you indicated earlier. We are not going to stop operating tuck-shops until you give people designated places."

The public dispute between Zinhanga and Mupereri highlighted the underlying political tension, with Mupereri suggesting that the issue was not just an administrative matter but a political one as well. He argued that without proper allocation of space for small and medium entrepreneurs, the council would not be able to curb the proliferation of informal businesses.

The debate between the two figures underscores the broader challenges Kwekwe faces in balancing urban development with the needs of small businesses, particularly in the informal sector. While Zinhanga pushed for formalization and regulation, Mupereri's stance resonated with the difficulties many small entrepreneurs face in securing legal operating spaces.

As the dispute continues, it remains unclear how the local government will navigate the issue of illegal tuck-shops, with both the mayor and former MP remaining firm in their respective positions. The outcome could have significant implications for Kwekwe's informal economy and its efforts to regulate and tax small businesses operating within the city.