Chipinge Residents Petition Town Council

Manicaland Correspondent

CHIPINGE: Chipinge residents last week handed over a petition to Chipinge Town Council over poor service delivery and alleged corruption at the august house. Council Chairman Zivanai Nyakuchena received the petition on behalf of the local authority.

Part of the petition read, “We the undersigned residents as well as rate payers of Chipinge Town, being members from diverse political, religious and socio-economic backgrounds convened under the banner of the Residents matter campaign express our deep concern over the deteriorating of democratic, effective, transparent and accountable local Governance in Chipinge Town Council due to lack of engagement with ratepayers in ensuing that there is effective service delivery.

“We reiterate our position that we are Chipinge Town Community Association (CTCA) and Chipinge Urban Residents Association (CURA) are critical stakeholders that should be afforded the right to be involved in the decision making process in all areas of local Governance as major funders and recipients of Council services”

Speaking to the media after receiving the petition, Cllr Nyakuchena promised that the town council will respond to the residents’ grievances.

“As council we are going to sit down and look into the raised by the residents. We are going to give our response in two weeks times,” he said.

CTCA coordinator Amato Rungano encouraged the local authority to honour the petition.

“We are not fighting anyone but want Chipinge Town Council to desist from corruption and non delivery of service. We expect them to respond to us in writing and thereafter open dialogue with us but at a neutral venue,” said Rungano.

Contacted for a comment, Member of Parliament for Chipinge Central Raymond Machingura’s Chipinge Development Think Tank, represented by Luke Mugobo said mismanagement of government resources is criminal.

“Corruption defeats the Ease of Doing Business and deters away potential investors in Chipinge and the country as a whole. We support the idea of taking the Council to task. If there are issues of corruption, we encourage the residents to inform Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission for investigations,” said the MP.

Picture: Chipinge Town Council Chairman Zivanai Nyakuchena receives a petition from CTCA and CURA