Some Bulawayo residents have proposed that all the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party councillors in Bulawayo be expelled and an interim commission set to run the city.
This follows squabbles between a group of councillors led by the Deputy Mayor Tinashe Kambarami and the Town Clerk Christopher Dube, following Dube`s suspension on allegations of corruption.
The suspension was later lifted by the Mayor Solomon Mguni.
MDC councillors were then summoned to a meeting in Harare where they resolved that a committee would be set to investigate the town Clerk and if found guilty, he would be expelled.
On the other hand, a government delegation is already in the city to investigate the matter.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting to discuss the state of the city organised by Bulawayo Residents Association (BUPRA), some of the residents said the councillors` conduct would affect the administration of the city.
“We will never be able to tame these young councillors. As long as they are in council, they will not listen to our opinions as residents. They have to go and a commission set to lead the city,” said Patricia Tshabalala, a resident from Mpopoma.
“As we speak, they employ each other as a party for the menial jobs that the Council offers to residents. The vulnerable ones who really need that money are sidelined. We need to get rid of the MDC party as a whole in Bulawayo.”
Another resident who identified himself as Bhebhe concurred saying a letter should be written to the central government requesting for the expulsion of all the councillors.
“Let us write a letter to the central government to suspend all these councillors from running the affairs of this city,” he said.
Residents also agreed that the committee from the Ministry of Local Government which was dispatched to investigate the allegations against the Town Clerk must consult residents and get their side of the story.
The team arrived in the city during the week.
“The team from the Ministry of Local Government which has come to investigate the incidents surrounding the suspension of the Town Clerk last week should make sure part of their investigation includes consultations with the residents,” said former legislator, Paul Themba Nyathi.
