NewsZimElections2023

Prioritise residents and not your political party agenda, councillors urged

Aspiring councillor for ward 21, Gesomu Zimba of the Movement Democratic for Change Alliance (MDC-A) says councillors must prioritise residents and not their party political agenda.

Presenting his manifesto during an election debate held at Tshabalala Hall convened by the Center for Innovation and Technology (CITE) and Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) Zimba also emphasised the importance of working with residentsโ€™ associations as they have the residentsโ€™ interests at heart.  

Only two candidates turned up, Zimba and Tinevimbo Maposa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

The seat was occupied by Maposa before was recalled in 2020.

Zimba noted that councillors that are elected into office should not push the agenda of their political parties but must engage the community to find out the challenges they need to be addressed.

โ€œLet us put the issue of political parties aside and engage with resident associations because their aim is to develop the ward,โ€ said Zimba.

โ€œBulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) and Bulawayo Residents Association (BURA) are on the ground working with the community, so as a councillor, l would need to be working together with residentsโ€™ associations as they are able to represent the needs for residents.โ€

Presenting his election manifesto, Maposa said before he was recalled he was working with the community on various projects.

He noted that he was hoping to continue with the projects once he is voted into office.

โ€œWe had a garden in Sizinda whose produce was used to benefit the old and the vulnerable, we are looking forward to having one in Tshabalala as well that will benefit the community,โ€ said Maposa.

โ€œWe want to engage with the community and have another secondary school, this will ease the pressure of hot seating in schools.โ€

Maposa also said he will engage the diaspora for funding and revamp sporting facilities in Tshabalala that will promote leisure activities for young people in the ward.

Attending the election debate, one of the residents in ward 21 noted that the residents there must be a policy that will give them the power to recall councillors who cannot serve the community accordingly.

โ€œWe understand that councillors are recalled by their political parties, however, as residents we will need a policy that will state if a councillor is unable to perform their roles, we as residents will be able to recall him and place another councillor in his place,โ€ said the resident.

Lungile Ngwenya

Lungile is the Social Media Editor and a dynamic multimedia journalist at CITE in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. With expertise in social media management, she excels in leveraging digital platforms to engage audiences and expand reach. Lungile is highly skilled in generative AI, using it to create innovative content and produce compelling programmes that capture attention. Her video production and editing skills are exceptional, enabling her to craft high-quality, polished media pieces that resonate with viewers. Beyond content creation, Lungile is a passionate media trainer, specializing in TikTok and social media strategies. She empowers others to harness these platforms effectively, equipping them with the tools to tell their stories and amplify their voices in todayโ€™s digital landscape.

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