via Kasukuwere spoils for bruising fight with MDC-T councils – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 21, 2015
NEWLY-APPOINTED Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, who is also Zanu PF national commissar, is spoiling for a bruising fight with MDC-T-run local authorities after he accused them of corruption and threatened to keep them under surveillance.
Moses Matenga
Kasukuwere last week told mayors, town clerks and secretaries drawn from different parts of the country that “the honeymoon was over”.
“We will have watchdogs in the community against incompetence and corruption by councillors and councils,” Kasukuwere said.
However, observers said this was targeted at MDC-T councillors since they dominated most local authorities.
Meanwhile, the Harare City Council has vowed to continue its crackdown on land barons and demolition of illegal structures.
Council spokesperson Michael Chideme last week said inspectors would move into all surburbs to demolish illegal structures, arguing there was no excuse as it had given adequate warning to all those who built on undesignated land.
“People were warned against buying land from bogus land owners.
Everyone was given enough time and notice by way of advertisements on radio, television and newspapers,” Chideme said.
The move is likely to see thousands of residents affected after they bought residential stands from land barons, with 11 houses demolished in Glen Norah last week.
Local Government secretary George Mlilo, in a circular dated June 2, ordered all councils to launch a nationwide clean-up campaign after noting the rapid increase in illegal vending, and sprouting of illegal urban and rural settlements.
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