Political Reporter
Residents of Gweru are voicing their frustrations and demanding the removal of Mayor Martin Chivhoko, criticising him for his perceived dishonesty, lack of knowledge, and inability to lead the City towards progress.
Many locals claim their trust in Chivhoko has eroded after he failed to fulfil the numerous promises made during his election campaign.
One Gweru resident, Trymore Chembe, expressed his discontent with the Mayor's handling of the City's water crisis.
Despite Mayor Chivhoko's claims on social media about the successful installation of a transformer at Gwenhoro, which he said would boost the City’s water pumping capacity, residents continue to face severe water shortages.
"It is very unfortunate that a whole Mayor goes on interviews and talks about things he does not understand. This shows how dangerous he is to the community of Gweru because some of these matters are too technical for a newly elected Mayor. We are still in trouble as we do not have water, yet residents are paying for a service they are not receiving," said Chembe.
Another resident, Givemore Mazarura, also criticised the Mayor's lack of technical acumen, which has resulted in a gap between his public statements and the actual situation on the ground.
"The Mayor's lack of technical knowledge is glaring and has led to discrepancies between what is said and the reality. It's problematic when he issues statements or comments on issues he clearly doesn't understand," Mazarura remarked.
The dissatisfaction extends beyond the water issue, as another resident from Mkoba accused Mayor Chivhoko of being overly involved in the politics of his party, the Citizens Coalition for Change, and neglecting essential strategies to address pressing local challenges like water shortages.
"Instead of focusing on the dire needs of Gweru, our Mayor is embedded in his party's politics, which does nothing to solve the real problems we face," the resident stated.
Efforts to reach Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) Director Cornelia Seliphiwe for comment were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to calls.
However, leaked WhatsApp chats revealed that Seliphiwe has also expressed concerns about Chivhoko's capabilities in various residents’ WhatsApp groups, describing him as "clueless and inept."
