Gweru residents turn to social media 

Source: Gweru residents turn to social media – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY STEPHEN CHADENGA
DISGRUNTLED Gweru residents have turned to social media to express their service delivery concerns after councillors failed to hold regular feedback meetings.

Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Development Association (Guprarda) Trust director David Chikore, told residents during a virtual meeting yesterday that councillors were expected to hold report back meetings in their respective wards.

Chikore said Guprarda has established an online platform called Guprarda Boardroom to discuss service delivery issues after realising that city fathers were not keen to address their concerns.

“Guprarda Boardroom was created to act as an alternative for the ward feedback meetings, which every councillor is supposed to conduct in their wards,” Chikore said.

“It is in such meetings that the area councillor responds to concerns raised by residents, especially pertaining to service delivery in their ward. Unfortunately, no such meetings are being conducted and we feel that this initiative serves to narrow the information gap between residents and council.”

He said social media platforms created by residents were not being fully utilised by city fathers who at times choose not to respond to residents’ concerns.

“It is, therefore, our humble request that councillors and council officials must respond to concerns raised by residents with respect and decorum expected from them,” Chikore said.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the council minimised physical meetings to avoid the spread of the respiratory disease.