by Innocent Mujeri
Chaos is reigning in most Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led councils as downing of tools has become the order of the day, The Harare Post can report.
Reports are that Kadoma City Council workers downed tools yesterday citing the Executives’ decision to award themselves hefty allowances and salaries at the expense of workers who are swimming in abject poverty.
The workers took to the council offices demonstrating and waving placards denouncing the Town Clerk, Malvern Dondo whom they accuse of ignoring workers plights while awarding himself a salary of ZW$30 000.
The least paid worker at Kadoma City council is getting approximately ZW$700.
A source who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity, said Dondo and Alderman Action Nyamukondiwa, the Mayor of Kadoma, are conniving to award themselves ZW$13 000 education allowances while workers are getting nothing.
Dondo is also accused of capturing the MDC Mayor Nyamukondiwa and dictating how things should be run in Kadoma.
“Dondo is a problem child. We have never liked him because he was imposed on the city of Kadoma by Ignatius Chombo (Former Minister of Local Government and a staunch G40 member). We all know that he was appointed on nepotism grounds, that he doesn’t have the qualifications needed for one to be a Town Clerk. He is always bragging that we can’t do anything to him because he is connected to the MDC leadership (making reference to Nelson Chamisa’s links with G40), “said the source.
Yesterday’s demonstration by the Kadoma City Council workers against Dondo and Nyamukondiwa had to be quelled by riot police who had to be brought in to restore peace and order.
It should be noted however, that this is not the first-time workers in MDC led councils and municipalities have downed tools. Last year in November, Harare City Council nurses and other health staff embarked on an industrial action accusing the City fathers of neglecting issues that deal with their welfare.
In July last year, Chitungwiza municipality which is also MDC led, was plunged into a crisis when workers went on strike citing 49 months’ salary arrears amidst extravagant expenditure by the council.
A political analyst, Eddie Janero, said running councils and municipalities is proving to be a daunting task for the MDC councilors as they have no capacity to turn around fortunes of towns and municipalities in their jurisdictions. He further said most of the councilors in MDC led councils were touts who sneaked themselves into office.
Interference by the MDC leadership in MDC led municipalities has become a challenge to service delivery. Recently MDC leader Nelson Chamisa fired the Mayor of Victoria Falls Somveli Dlamini, a move that is expected to hinder service delivery in the resort town.
