News / National
Bulawayo residents demand better representation from councillors
8 hrs ago | Views
The Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) has called on city councillors to address residents' concerns with honesty and transparency, emphasizing the need for clear communication on council developments.
BPRA chairperson Stephen Nkomo voiced these concerns during a council water utility meeting held last week, expressing frustration over the failure of councillors to provide accurate information to residents in their wards.
"The main problem why residents are not informed about council developments comes from within wards. Councillors do not tell residents the truth. They were chosen by people to represent them, hence they should," said Nkomo.
He highlighted that misinformation and disinformation among residents stem from a lack of communication, leading to a loss of trust in their representatives.
"Residents rely on rumours, and these rumours cause them to lose trust in councillors. We have been moving around all wards doing consultations with residents, and we noticed that there is a very big division between residents and their councillors. Some councillors are not honest," Nkomo added.
Residents have raised complaints about not being adequately informed about the city's water utility developments.
Nkomo reiterated the importance of involving residents in all decisions, stating, "Everything that happens in this city has to start from the residents because they are the owners of this city."
The city council has proposed the establishment of a corporate water utility company to address the critical need for funding to upgrade Bulawayo's outdated water and sewerage infrastructure. The project is estimated to require between US$600 million and US$1 billion to complete.
Council officials believe the proposed utility company would help secure and safeguard the necessary funding to tackle the city's water challenges effectively.
BPRA chairperson Stephen Nkomo voiced these concerns during a council water utility meeting held last week, expressing frustration over the failure of councillors to provide accurate information to residents in their wards.
"The main problem why residents are not informed about council developments comes from within wards. Councillors do not tell residents the truth. They were chosen by people to represent them, hence they should," said Nkomo.
He highlighted that misinformation and disinformation among residents stem from a lack of communication, leading to a loss of trust in their representatives.
"Residents rely on rumours, and these rumours cause them to lose trust in councillors. We have been moving around all wards doing consultations with residents, and we noticed that there is a very big division between residents and their councillors. Some councillors are not honest," Nkomo added.
Residents have raised complaints about not being adequately informed about the city's water utility developments.
Nkomo reiterated the importance of involving residents in all decisions, stating, "Everything that happens in this city has to start from the residents because they are the owners of this city."
The city council has proposed the establishment of a corporate water utility company to address the critical need for funding to upgrade Bulawayo's outdated water and sewerage infrastructure. The project is estimated to require between US$600 million and US$1 billion to complete.
Council officials believe the proposed utility company would help secure and safeguard the necessary funding to tackle the city's water challenges effectively.
Source - newsday
