Ward 5 residents in Bulawayo, have urged aspiring councillors to work together for the development of the ward beyond the election.
The candidates for the ward are Dumisani Nkomo of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), Archibold Chiponda of ZANU-PF, Bruce Munyoro of Nationalists Alliance group (NAP), Chitrin Frank Chazanga of MDC-T and Bob Tasiya of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Speaking during a community election debate on Friday organised by Election Resource Centre (ERC) in partnership with the Nation Youth Development Trust (NYDT) and Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA), residents said the aspiring candidates should work together even if one of them is elected.
“I know that we are supposed to choose one of you to represent us, suppose you are not chosen, since you have shown us that you really love your ward, are you going to work with the person that has been chosen to lift upward 5,” she said.
“If you trust yourselves and love this ward, you brought us here saying you want to represent us, we are supposed to choose one person, if we chose that one person, the rest that will remain are you ready to work well with the candidate that we would have chosen since you are saying you love this ward.”
Another participant asked the aspiring councillors if they own any property in the ward.
“Do you own a property in this ward whether it’s a family house or it’s your own property,” said a resident.
In response to the residents’ concerns and questions, ZANU-PF candidate, Archibold Chiponda said the candidates will work together for the betterment of the ward.
“Whatever happens because we are people who are quite entrenched in Bulawayo, we will work for the betterment of Ward 5 regardless of what happens because we knew each other before this,” said Chiponda.
CCC candidate Dumisani Nkomo said the candidates will surely work together as the issue of service delivery will affect everyone in the ward.
“Definitely, we will work together, its about development, we are all in the ward, so when there is no water, it’s not like there is no water for CCC person, sewer and stuff like that, it’s all our ward, so definitely we are going to work together regardless of the result, I think thus very critical,” he said.
NAP aspiring councillor Bruce Munyoro said while he has no property in the ward he will ensure there are policies to ensure land is availed to aspiring home seekers.
“I haven’t got my own house yet, I am renting from somebody else, If I am elected to council, we will see that we have policies that will make land accessible because we went to war so land must not be expensive,” said Munyoro.
