Kasukuwere suspends Byo deputy mayor

LOCAL Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere has suspended Bulawayo deputy mayor, Gift Banda and four other councillors on corruption allegations, accusing the MDC-T-led council of operating like a mafia.

Source: Kasukuwere suspends Byo deputy mayor – NewsDay Zimbabwe September 21, 2016

BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

Banda was suspended yesterday alongside councillors Charles Moyo (ward 9), James Sithole (ward 7), Mzama Dube (ward 25) and Reuben Matengu (ward 21), as Kasukuwere threatened to wield the axe on the remaining city fathers.

Speaking at City Hall yesterday, Kasukuwere said he was not yet done with Bulawayo councillors, whom he accused of a wide range of misdemeanours, including grabbing all available council land for their personal benefit.

He also accused the councillors of poor governance and maladministration.

“To make matters worse, most councillors have not made any effort to pay for the land resulting in councillors owing over a million dollars on the properties they have acquired,” the minister said.

“We have received numerous complaints and accusations against councillors and, as a result, an investigation team was sent. The question I need to ask is how am I supposed to react to these issues? What do I say when called upon as the minister responsible for the administration of the Urban Councils Act to explain why Bulawayo is in such a state?

“In the interest of allowing council to operate as an autonomous body in line with devolution, I have been watching Bulawayo. But, when a council does not operate within the parameters of our laws, then it is my constitutional duty to intervene and that is why I am here today.”

Kasukuwere said he would be leaving officials from his ministry to deal with specific issues and “to come up with a recovery matrix and based on co-operation and the actual matrix, I will make my final decision regarding the BCC”.

The Local Government minister was accompanied by his permanent secretary, George Mlilo, and Bulawayo Provincial Affairs minister Eunice Sandi-Moyo.

Banda refused to comment on his suspension, saying: “I have to consult first, but, for now, I have no comment.”

The latest suspensions, however, drew scorn from the Joice Mujuru-led opposition ZimPF, which said Kasukuwere had no moral right to suspend the councillors on graft allegations, as he was equally corrupt.

“This is the mother of all ironies. Kasukuwere, of all people, suspending someone for being corrupt? So these guys (Zanu PF) don’t want any competition in their chosen speciality, which is corruption?” ZimPF spokesperson, Methuseli Moyo said.

“Kasukuwere has no moral authority and legitimacy to censure anyone for corruption. Sadly, Zimbabwe is an animal farm, where some people are more equal than others.”