Huge task for Byo’s newly elected city leaders
The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members were on cloud nine when results of Bulawayo’s Councillors were confirmed by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that the party is in control of all the city’s council seats.
Despite the party claiming that only one of the members elected under the CCC banner is not part of their organisation. For more than two decades the Bulawayo’s City Council Chambers have been controlled by the opposition party from MDC era.
The announcement meant that CCC will be the ruling party in Bulawayo’s city council chamber, and they won’t be any opposition party in the chamber, making it easier for the Triple C party to make their decisions without being opposed.
While the former Member of Parliament (MP) and Council elect of ward 4, Senator David Coltart is expected to be named unopposed as the new Mayor of the City of Bulawayo.
Unidentified sources have revealed that, ward 5 Councillor Octavius Nkomo will deputise the former Bulawayo South MP, Senator Coltart.
A day after Council Nkomo was elected as Councillor of ward 5, he made an open survey on Facebook questioning the residents of Bulawayo to share the three most critical issues that the incoming City Council of Bulawayo must address first.
Bulawayo residents, responded with different answers.
Majority of them pleaded with the incoming City Father’s, to change the bylaws; maintain infrastructures; streetlights and the issue of illegal vending which is being conducted between 5th and 6th Avenue.
“Clear 5th Avenue ASAP; Roads and Chase Away TTI,” posted Zenzo Siwela on Facebook.
“Separation of the city from corrupt tendencies, firing of the current town Clerk and hiring of the new one and improving the whole service delivery system,” added Bakidzanani Sungwana Dube.
While another resident responded by twisting the question back to the Councillor by asking what residents in and abroad the city can do to help the city fathers.
“I want to make a rather different response from others. Instead, what should be our contribution as their current residence or former residents. I believe you need to be resourced first before we make unrealistic demands on you as office bearers. I suggest we ‘CROWD FUND’. For all inside the city as well as us outside the city. I am quite confident with the new management team but without resources, I feel we will be asking for too much,” Posted Moyo.
The Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA), echoed the same issues on what the residents are expecting from the city council.
“We expected the newly elected councillors to be consulting continuous the issues affecting Bulawayo. We are also looking forward to the completion of Egodini project that is long over due .
“The councillors must come up with the way of removing illegal vendors littering throughout the city. We also expect them not to be corrupt because what is affecting most of the projects in the city is largely attributed by corruption that might have taken place as policy makers they are expected to play their roles without any fear or favour,” said the BPRA.
