“Enough Is Enough” Rusape Residents Challenge Council Leadership

By Shingirai Vambe

Tension is mounting in Rusape as residents openly challenge the town’s leadership, accusing the local authority of gross mismanagement, neglect of service delivery and a failure to uphold accountability in the aftermath of the departure of former Town Secretary Joshua Maligwa.

Residents are now demanding the removal of both councillors and the current Town Secretary, Solomon Gabaza, whom they accuse of presiding over a deteriorating municipality marked by unpaid workers, escalating legal costs and unresolved governance disputes. The anger has spilled onto public platforms, with residents warning that unless decisive action is taken, they will escalate the matter to the Minister of Local Government and formally petition Parliament.

At the centre of the growing unrest is the controversial return of Gabaza to office, despite previous findings that reportedly linked him to 33 counts of misconduct, corruption and abuse of office. Residents say his reinstatement, sanctioned by the current council, has deepened mistrust between the local authority and the community it serves.

“These are not rumours or political attacks,” one resident wrote on the Rusape Residents Trust social media platform. “These are documented issues that were investigated, yet the council chose to ignore them.”

Residents argue that the council’s decision to reinstate Gabaza flies in the face of accountability and sends a troubling message that wrongdoing can be overlooked without consequence. They insist that the council has failed in its duty to act in the public interest, particularly given the town’s worsening financial and administrative condition.

Frustration has also been directed at councillors, the majority of whom are members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). Residents accuse them of failing to exercise oversight over the executive arm of council and of allowing personal and political interests to take precedence over service delivery.

Rusape Town Council is already on record for failing to pay its workers for nearly three consecutive years, a situation that has crippled operations and severely affected morale among council employees. Workers have repeatedly raised concerns over unpaid salaries and allowances, while residents say the impact is visible in declining services, poor road maintenance and erratic refuse collection.

Compounding the crisis are mounting legal battles involving the council. Residents allege that the municipality has become entangled in endless litigation, with legal costs reportedly draining thousands of dollars from already strained coffers. Some of these cases, residents claim, stem from internal power struggles and personal vendettas rather than legitimate governance disputes.

“The council is spending more time in court than fixing roads or paying workers,” another resident complained. “We are paying the price for their fights.”

Community leaders and civil society groups warn that unless urgent corrective measures are taken, Rusape risks further administrative collapse. They argue that transparency, accountability and respect for due process must be restored if public confidence in the local authority is to be rebuilt.

As pressure intensifies, residents say they are prepared to take their grievances beyond social media, with plans underway to formally engage the Minister of Local Government and lawmakers. For many in Rusape, the unfolding standoff is no longer just about personalities, but about the future of a town they feel has been held hostage by poor leadership and unresolved scandals.

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