Bulawayo Mayor Solomon Mguni says filling vacant council seats in the upcoming by-elections will improve service delivery in the city.
Eight councillors, Clayton Zana of Ward 19, Tinevimbo Maphosa (Ward 21), Ernest Rafamoyo (Ward 20), Donald Mabuto (Ward 9), Tinashe Kambarami (Ward 3), Lillian Mlilo (Ward 12), Concillia Mlalazi (Ward 18) and Norman Hlabano of Ward 26 were recalled by the MDC-T in 2020.
Ward 8 councillor Ronnia Mudhara died in July 2020.
Cllr Mguni made these remarks while addressing an MDC-T rally at Phelandaba Hall, Saturday, where the party was launching its campaign for the mini polls.
The rally was attended by the party president Douglas Mwonzora, senior party officials and members of the MDC Alliance.
“We are very grateful that the by-elections are now upon us. They come at an opportune time when the city is faced with service delivery challenges,” he said.
“The by-elections will see to the filling in of these gaps and with more adequate representation service delivery is likely to be improved.”
Mwonzora said they are confident of victory in the by-elections as they have fielded candidates in all the vacant posts.
“Here in Bulawayo, we have eight council candidates and two constituency candidates. We are certain of victory in all the areas where we are contesting,” Mwonzora said.
“I want to commend female representation in the various vacant posts. The party is going to channel more resources towards female candidates in order to ensure that they get all the assistance they need to effectively do their campaigns.”
Mwonzora announced that the party did not err by recalling seating Members of Parliament and councillors as they were corrupt and incompetent.
He added that they were forced to recall as they had sworn allegiance with another party, a violation of the party’s constitution.
“We have recalled a number of people from the Parliament and from council. We were not wrong to do so. They brought it upon themselves,” he said.
“When they joined the party and hot sworn into offices they signed affidavits which bound them not to join other political parties but they decided to ignore that. We recalled them. We are going to recall everyone else who acts against the party constitution.”
Mwonzora emphasised that they are pushing for dialogue with President Emmerson Mnangagwa in order to come up with ways of addressing the plight of the citizens.
“MDC was not formed so that people can merely get power through accessing seats in Parliament or offices in council but it was formed to improve the lives of the people,” Mwonzora said.
“I am certain that the dialogue we are yet to have with President Mnangagwa will allow us to improve service delivery, make people’s lives more bearable, enable pensioners to have better lives.”
