Latest News Editor's Choice


Opinion / Columnist

MDC Alliance Kariba District Chairperson Mr George Masendu elected Kariba Mayor

17 Sep 2018 at 07:07hrs | Views
Finally Kariba Municipality has a set of new councillors, 8 from the MDC Alliance and one from ZANUPF who has claimed such ward from the former deputy Mayor in ward 6. The fresh set brought about a lovely debate recently within the Kariba discussions as to who was appropriate to lead the team as the Mayor. Qualifications and analysis took centre stage but it looks MDC Alliance had already done its homework well.

They brought us a gentleman who was born on the 8th of November 1972 in Mashonaland East province in Chikomba District. The guy did his primary and secondary school education at Domboramavara in Chikomba. This was my taxi driver whenever I dropped the Power-coach buses of our time who would never be told where I lived and he would sometimes take me home for me to pay later. I will not dwell much about these taxi drivers since they actually know people's secrets lest I remind my good friends that this guy knows even their opinionated, societal, sexual and economical life out there. I vividly remember this cadre when he was very vocal in municipality meeting resulting in us electing him in the budget committee of the Municipality of Kariba sometime in 2008. He worked well with the likes of the trade unionist Madyira and the local governance advocate Mawawo all the way to somehow 2013. This was also the same time he set as a member of the Health Centre Committee (HCC) Mahombekombe clinic sometime in 2010 making him contribute in health issues.

I still remember the guy would make sure that he would say something in almost all meetings we attended together and we never had any that he would not par-take his thoughts. I will not be able to specifically remember when this guy and the others decided to form a pro-MDC residents association called Kariba Urban Residents Association (KURA) where he was the chairperson. But I am priviledged to know that it was a move to counter KIARRA which was pro-ZANUPF as headed by Evangelist Samu Mawawo hence the needy to create a political symmetry.

Being an educationist myself, I remember making some discussions with fellow teachers at Mahombekombe primary regards school development and roles of SDC where George's name featured several years as Mahombekombe Primary school parents entrusted him with three terms as their Chairman. Indeed he played his part at the Catholic owned and run school and making one ostracized decision of not allowing the sale of teachers houses after all had been put to paper.

I later realised this guy was an entrepreneur, a serious one indeed who represented Mahombekombe Flea Markets as its Chairpersons. Indeed they have at least made Mahombekombe remain alive after the dearth of our Spar supermarket some years back. This George Masendu has never been tired of being a people's favourite with our own sport brand in the form of Katuruturu ZPC owned soccer outfit supporters electing him as Secretary General.

When he said he was to contest as a councillor for ward 4, I never thought he would then become the Mayor since the same ward was being held by the outgoing Mayor Tracy Ndoro - Kakwere. Politically I told him he would make it through because the very party I support had made sufficient blunders regards who was to contest him and making last time panicking decisions and even getting an endorsement from the opposition on their candidate. I believe he never had peace during the whole election period starting with the consensus process that MDC Alliance went through where he was being accused of favouring others whilst throwing away some. Yes he is the MDC Alliance District chairperson who has claimed a seat in Parliament for his party, 8 out of 9 council seats in Kariba Municipality and 4 out of 12 seats in the chambers of Nyaminyami Rural district council. His President Advocate Nelson Chamisa came to Kariba as well as his deputy President Engineer Elias Mudzuri visited Nyaminyami out of George's leadership as Kariba MDC Alliance chairperson. I could tell how much they wanted to tear off my party which they did claiming even my ward 7 where we had fielded a mature and well known cadre, the MDC Alliance owes this guy as well as Kariba people the development they promised regardless of not being the ruling party of the country.

George Masendu being married to two wives Eris Chibanda and Violet Vhunzi with 5 children deserves to be rewarded and then walk the talk as Mayor and Chairperson of the MDC Alliance with all these other potifolios. Kariba people are really lucky in that the guy is a hard-worker who has seen it through and is geared for the change that the ultimate destination town so much yearn for. Well done George Masendu for having worked hard to come to the chambers with the youthful and gender balanced team. I will not talk much about one candidate my friends and I preferred as the one to be the Mayor because I know you became unpopular when as Chairman you accepted his candidature few days before nomination day when he was not one of you. You are one person who knows in all certainties that I am not one of you but would appreciate where good work is.

You still owe us by making sure that what you promised is delivered and congratulations on the new role. Our Worship, the Mayor George Masendu. All the best and be blessed Kariba Mayor. Oh by the way, you are the forth Mayor to come from the MDC and I am optimistic that you will be the best servant when I look at the way you engage, you argue, you contribute, you do not accept defeat  and you consult. The Mahombekombe people still have housing issues, they are still hopeful that one day they will not sleep under the power-line. The water woes that has seen our town having national media coverage should not become a perennial issues, the life in darkness when we are at the source of electricity is mindboggling whilst the human-animal conflict should not be perpetuated anymore.

I wait to see the difference that you bring as the forth Mayor on the MDC line-up since the formation of your party. We had John Houghton as Executive Mayor who is now the MP and congratulations, we also had my good learned friend Nicolas Hwindiri and your predecessor Madam Tracy Ndoro in a row but am still to be convinced that your party can take Kariba far and wide. Maybe it is you who will be clear on what the MDC will do as for now I remain hopeful that your being elected Mayor out of the rest was and is the best.


Source - John T Chirinda
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.