Former Bulawayo Municipality Ward 28 Councillor Alderman Collet Ndhlovu says he has unfinished business to attend to in the ward hence his decision to seek reelection in the by-election set for month end.
Alderman Ndhlovu recently won the ticket to represent the MDC Alliance in the by-election set for March 30, following the death of the incumbent councillor Hapson Ncube in December last year.
Ald Ndhlovu had previously served as councillor for two terms from 2008 to 2013.
He said if elected into office, he will prioritise the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle housing project and ensure the area is fully serviced.
“Those residents are sitting on a time bomb. The place neither has water nor sewer pipes. If cholera breaks out there it would be disastrous,” he said.
He said since the government handed over the project to the city council, there has been some progress.
“We can all see how much the government is struggling to get the economy into shape. It’s even harder for the city council to acquire funds and get the place developed.
“During my previous tenure in office, we engaged the city council to source loans from banks and residents pay back the loans,” said Ald Ndhlovu.
Cowdray Park suburb is the largest in Bulawayo with a total of over 33 000 housing stands.
He explained that residents are already paying $15 a month to acquire resources to develop the area.
“Residents have been paying $15 a month since the burden of developing their area lies with them. However, they have the equipment they bought several years ago comprising of an excavator and other machinery. It had been proposed that the machinery be sold and the proceeds be channeled towards the needed resources to develop the area,” he said.
Ald Ndhlovu said part of the projects he intends to complete if he gets back to the office is building a clinic for the area and ensuring there is a 6km tar at the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle area.
“I intend to use the 3% retention fund to build a clinic in Cowdray Park. The residence has a base station serving as one in the meantime. By the time my term came to an end, there already was an approved plan and money enough to lay foundation was available. I also intend that by the time my term ends in the next five years there will be a 6km tar at the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle area.
Speaking of the primary elections, Ald Ndhlovu said her rival Nomagugu Mloyi, as per party instruction, must withdraw her papers following her defeat.
Ald Ndhlovu defeated Mloyi in the chaotic primary elections last week after both candidates had submitted their papers at the Nomination Court a fortnight ago.
“The party couldn’t get one candidate due to the chaos that rocked our primary elections. However the party made it clear that after filing papers at the nomination court whoever would lose at the primary elections would have to withdraw their papers. If she is a true member of the party she must have withdrawn by now,” he said.
Ndhlovu said his papers were filed before the primary elections were held because he was part of the panel that had been set to run in the event that the incumbent councillor dies.
“My papers were legally filed. The party cleared them. But as per the party instruction, had I been defeated by Mloyi I would have withdrawn my papers and gotten out of the race.”
MDC party’s provincial youth chairperson Clr Mlandu Ncube said the party thrives to be led by youthful people and as such will continue to groom youths for leadership.
“Our motive is to groom youthful leadership within the party. We wanted the late Hapson Ncube to be replaced by a youthful candidate. Unfortunately, the party has decided on a candidate. It is up to us as the youth league to go back to the drawing board and correct our shortcomings,” said Clr Ncube.
He commended Pashor Raphael Sibanda, a member of the youth league, for contesting in the primary elections.
“I was personally impressed by the way Pashor pushed. He had massive support. The party does have zealous people who can take up such positions. We just need to make sure we up our game and prepare for victory in the future,” said Cllr Ncube.
