Some Ndebele-speaking residents of Bulawayo say they won’t allow a Shona-speaking mayor or deputy to run the city.
Source: Bulawayo residents protest against Shona-speaking councillors | eNCA
BULAWAYO – Protests have hit Zimbabwe’s second biggest city Bulawayo, following the election of several Shona-speaking people to the city council.
Bulawayo is a predominantly Ndebele-speaking city, located in the Matabeleland region in southern Zimbabwe but the Shona are in the majority across Zimbabwe.
Some Ndebele-speaking residents of Bulawayo said they have long been marginalised by the Harare government and won’t allow a Shona-speaking mayor or deputy to run the city council.
Residents protested at the City Hall, demanding their grievances be met.
“Bulawayo is city of Mthwakazi, a place for the Ndebeles,” said rights activist Patricia Tshabalala
“There has never been a Shona chief in Bulawayo. We didn’t vote for these councillors and there was a lot of rigging. Let me tell you that Nelson Chamisa boy is a fool. There are the ones who did this.”
Solomon Mguni was elected as mayor, and Tinashe Kambarami his deputy, in the July elections.
Tshabalala says President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition political leaders have no respect for the people of Matabeleland and it is high time they listen to them.
“What we want is for the Shonas to go back to the benches and start thinking about the Ndebeles,” Tshabalala said.
“The only best thing I can advise Chamisa and Mnangagwa, they should give us our country back.”
Political activist Decent Bajila said the people of Bulawayo have a right to express their dissatisfaction with the calibre of their leaders.
COMMENTS
this is not good guys,i think we should not get this motive going as it is TOO TRIBALIST and unaccepatable in the whole world.I THINK WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT NOW IS DISSOLUTION OF POWER WHICH IS AFFECTING THE WHOLE COUNTRY.THERE IS NO SHONA OR NDEBELE SPECIAL RIGHTS,BUT RIGHTS FOR ALL ZIMBABWEANS.MY MOTHER IS NDEBELE AND MY FATHER IS SHONA.THEY LOVE EACH OTHER VERY WELL.NGIYAQOLISA BANTU VENKOSI.
Truly speaking zim is dominated by tribalism from both parts of the nation,but with this issue I blame shonas,where are the ndebeles rulling in mashonaland.
And why should they not be angry and protest?
They know, as we all do, that the people who killed our relatives during Gukurahundi were speaking that same language. And to add new anger to our old anger our new leader was leading them.