By Staff Reporter
Kwekwe City Council management has come under fire from the newly elected mayor Doctor Henry Madzorera following the driving off, of vendors from the city’s streets.
Madzorera speaking recently after he was elected the city’s mayor said, it is suspicious that vendors who have been enjoying their trade over the months before elections are now being driven off the streets immediately after elections.
“We are now seeing vendors being driven off the streets. This does not bode well especially as we are just coming from elections. What has changed? As far as I know, vendors have been operating peacefully before elections,” he said.
“We are concerned with the harassment of vendors. As a council, we request that management maintain the status quo until this new council sits and makes a formal request to the matter. We are here to balance the issue of hygiene and the issue of order and the issue of livelihoods. We want to make the lives of people better,” he said.
Madzorera, a former Minister of Health, said the newly elected council wants to work to ensure improved service delivery for Kwekwe residents.
“We are all committed to working together for the good of the citizens of Kwekwe without regard to party politics or any other decisive consideration. For the next five years, we promise you we will be working together. We will work together to make the lives of the citizens of Kwekwe better. We are also committed to working harmoniously with the executive, together we will make a difference, I am also confident that the executive is waiting to work harmoniously with the councilors. We will do our best to make sure that we improve the lives of the citizens of Kwekwe,” he said.
The city’s father added that his council is going to fight corruption.
“Top on our agenda is the issue of corruption, both the government and our party pronounced a zero-tolerance police to corruption. We must ensure that both the executive and the councilors execute their duties with integrity. We are not in council to steal and enrich ourselves. We are here to provide quality services to our population, services that are available all the time,” he said.
He added the council is also going to be inclusive when crafting budgets.
“We are aware that this is the time when budgets are made, our promise to you is that we are going to consult residents every step of the way. We want a budget with a buy-in of the majority of the citizens. We will do everything in our power to lighten the load on our citizens. This will include examining all potential sources of revenue, to the council and in this respect, the executive will be extremely instrumental in telling us. We will need the cooperation of every citizen and business community to achieve this. We are going to invite various stakeholders to participate in the decision-making process of Kwekwe through sub-committees,” he said.
One thought on “Hands off vendors: Mayor”
We can increase our revenue by increasing our revenue base rather than leving the ratepayers.In traffic offences alone we can rank in more than US$50 million per week if stricter measures are followed.Kwe Kwe is the only urban centre which is offering free parking to motorists {just Imagine}all parking space must be charged.All road users who do not adhear to rules and regulations arrested.All open spaces around town must be leased or sold.If the Council can offers us a revenue suggestion committee.We will help id driving the city forward.