The Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo has, with immediate effect, suspended three Kwekwe councillors for alleged gross incompetence.
The councillors are Angeline Kasipo (CCC), who is the former Kwekwe mayor, Melody Chingarande (CCC) and Makomborero Mlambo (ZANU PF).
The three councillors were suspended on the same day MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora recalled Kwekwe Deputy Mayor Pikurai Msipa and two other councillors.
A letter by Minister Moyo dated 28 February 2023 reads in part:
<blockquote>
In line with Section 114(2) of the Urban Councils Act, Chapter (29:15) as amended by the Local Government Laws Amendment Act Number 8, of 2016, I have reasonable grounds for suspecting that you Councillor Angeline Kasipo have committed acts of gross misconduct, gross incompetence, and willful violation of the law as referenced in subsection (1) (b) (C) and (e) and hereby suspend you with immediate effect, from the office of Councillor of City of Kwekwe, Ward 10 in terms of Section 114 of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15)as amended by Section 3 of the Local Government Amendment Act, Number 8 of 2016.
</blockquote>
The councillors allegedly participated in a council process where a motion had been submitted by Councillor Ndlovu, Msipa, Chingarande, Ngwenya and Moyo on a review of the 2023 approved budget. Wrote Moyo:
<blockquote>
You supported the proposal and secondment of the illegal resolution passed on 27 January 2023 of reviewing an approved budget though you were advised by the Chamber Secretary about the illegality.
This was in Violation of the Public Finance Management Act (Chapter 22:19) of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15).
</blockquote>
Moyo said due to their actions the Kwekwe City Council became ungovernable, illegally operating without a budget.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Local Government Minister Suspends Three Kwekwe Councillors

A Kwekwe City councillor, Sherly Mutirwara (MDC Alliance), has died. She died on Sunday at the Kwekwe General Hospital after a long battle with heart disease.
Kwekwe Mayor Councillor Future Titora confirmed Mutirwara’s death. She said:
<blockquote>
She died at Kwekwe General Hospital Sunday after a long battle with heart disease.
This is indeed a blow to Kwekwe residents, and to us at the MDC Alliance.
</blockquote>
Mutirwara who was elected councillor in 2018 on an MDC Alliance ticket has been battling ill-health for a long time.
MDC Alliance Kwekwe Central official Judith Tobaiwa said the death of Mutirwara is a huge blow not only to the opposition party but also to Kwekwe residents. Said Tobaiwa:
<blockquote>
She died at Kwekwe General Hospital Sunday after a long battle with heart disease. This is indeed a blow to Kwekwe residents, and to us at the MDC Alliance.
</blockquote>
Mutirwara is set to be buried at her rural home in Sanyati, Mashonaland West Province.
Kwekwe has 14 wards in total. In the 2018 general elections, the MDC Alliance won 13 wards with ZANU PF’s Maclean Nyamucherera winning the other ward.
However, the number has been reduced following the death of two councillors this year and the recall of three councillors including former mayor Angeline Kasipo her deputy Melody Chingarande and Washington Moyo by the MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/mdc-alliance-kwekwe-councillor-dies/">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

MDC Alliance Kwekwe Councillor, Sherly Mutirwara, Dies

The City of Kwekwe has a new mayor and deputy after Councillor Angeline Kasipo and her deputy Melody Chingarande both MDC Alliance were recalled last month by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T.
Ward 2 Councillor Future Titora was elected the new Kwekwe mayor while her Ward 3 counterpart Pikurai Msipha was elected deputy at a special full council meeting held in the council chambers on Thursday.
Chingarande was recalled days after being elected to replace the late Shadreck Tobaiwa who succumbed to cancer.
Cllr Titora garnered six votes to narrowly beat Ward 7 councillor Charles Juta who had four votes in the second round after the first round of voting resulted in a stalemate after each received five votes.
Cllr Msipha also won by the same number of votes and in a similar fashion to beat Joshua Tinago.
In her acceptance speech, newly elected Mayor Titora said she will work hard to develop the city. She said:
<blockquote>
I pledge to play the oversight role as expected of us and complement management efforts to develop our city.
I urge all councillors to stop bickering and put differences aside as we work towards achieving vision 2030.
</blockquote>
Kwekwe District Development Coordinator Fortune Mpungu who presided over the election of the mayor said service delivery and implementation of the devolution agenda should come first.
Kwekwe City had 14 councillors but only 10 are left after the death of Tobaiwa and the recalling of Kasipo, Chingarande and Ward 12 councillor Washington Moyo.
Of the 10, nine were elected on an MDC Alliance ticket and one was sponsored by the ruling ZANU PF party.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/new-mayor-deputy-for-kwekwe/">Chronicle</a></h4>

Kwekwe Elects New Mayor, Deputy

A ZANU PF Councillor in Kwekwe brought a full council meeting to a standstill on Thursday after he openly wept over the allocation of vending stalls.
Maclean Nyamucherera, who is the only ZANU PF Councillor in Kwekwe, wailed while mayor Angeline Kasipo (MDC Alliance) was addressing Councillors.
The ward 6 Councillor accused his colleague Eric Rukavhairo, who is a health committee chairperson, of not only capturing council but also tormenting vendors.
He accused Rukavhairo of blocking the allocation of vending stalls to known vendors in Central Kwekwe. Said Nyamucherera:
<blockquote>
Rukavhairo why are you tormenting vendors like this? Why are you not allowing vendors to trade in the CBD?
People are suffering but you are blocking the allocation of vending stalls, why are you behaving like this?
</blockquote>
However, Rukavhairo responded and said the allocation of vending stalls was going to be done procedurally.
Tempers flared during the meeting as Nyamucherera went on a rant, accusing the MDC Alliance Councillors of undermining him because he is the only ZANU PF councillor in the chamber.
Meanwhile, Nyamucherera has been accused of swindling money from vendors, allegations he has strenuously denied.
Asked why he wailed during the meeting, Nyamucherera said he was moved by the plight of vendors. He said:
<blockquote>
I am moved by the vendors’ plight and how someone is blocking them on eking out a living.
Its really painful to see people suffering like this while as council we can address the issue of allocation of stalls.
I am going to continue championing the cause of vendors.
</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/drama-as-kwekwe-zanu-pf-councillor-in-full-council-meeting/">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

Kwekwe ZANU PF Councillor Weeps In Full Council Meeting

Kwekwe City Council lost most of its important documents after a fire broke out and destroyed a storeroom on Saturday afternoon.
Kwekwe mayor Angeline Kasipo on Sunday confirmed the fire incident, saying the local authority lost important documents in the inferno whose source was still being investigated. She said:
<blockquote>It’s true. A storeroom containing important documents for the Kwekwe City Council caught fire at the Works Yard Saturday afternoon at around 3 pm.</blockquote>
This comes a week after the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works dispatched a team to Kwekwe to carry out a land and skills audit.
The audit, which is expected to last more than a week, will also focus on devolution and Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA) funds, as well as human resources issues.
Kwekwe councillors have demanded to know how the housing department was selling stands.
They suspect that the housing department has been illegally selling industrial, commercial and residential stands.
Insiders say the fire was suspected to be an act of sabotage ahead of the government’s probe team arrival.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/fire-destroys-kwekwe-citys-records/">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

Fire Destroys Kwekwe City’s 'Important' Documents

Government officials in Kwekwe say residents should not panic following a widely circulating message claiming the city has been placed under a three-week lockdown.
The message, purported to have originated from the Kwekwe District COVID-19 Taskforce and The District Rapid Response Team, claimed the lockdown measures were in response to the detection of the deadly Indian B.1.617 coronavirus variant in the district.
Kwekwe District COVID-19 taskforce co-chairperson Vitalis Kwashira told NewZimbabwe.com the lockdown message, circulating on social media platforms, was false. He said:
<blockquote>That is a fake report which is circulating on social media. There is no lockdown in Kwekwe district. We are going about our business as usual.</blockquote>
Kwekwe mayor Angeline Kasipo (MDC Alliance), urged residents not to panic but reiterated the importance of following COVID-19 World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. Said Kasipo:
<blockquote>I have spoken to the DDC (district development coordinator) and he told me it’s untrue that Kwekwe is under new lockdown restrictions. Therefore, residents must not panic.
We want people to be careful. We don’t know if we have a third wave or the Indian variant or anything. We are awaiting the results which we sent to Kwekwe. People must, therefore, not speculate.
There is no need to panic, but we need to take full precautions. For the past two months, we have been recording zero cases, people must continue observing WHO guidelines.
We are also encouraging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.</blockquote>
Kwekwe has been on the edge following the death of residents chairperson Robson Kadenhe (76) to COVID-19 complications last week.
He tested positive after returning from India and died a few days later.
On Wednesday, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Health and Childcare Minister confirmed the outbreak of the Indian coronavirus variant in the Midlands city.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/kwekwe-not-under-new-covid-lockdown-mayor/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

Kwekwe Mayor Urges Residents Not To Panic

Kwekwe mayor Angeline Kasipo has pledged her loyalty to MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa whose backers are being expelled from parliament and councils by the judicially-created Thokozani Kupe-led MDC-T.
Reports had claimed that the country’s only female mayor and Kwekwe councillor for Ward 10 had forsaken the embattled Chamisa to join his erstwhile colleagues.
However, Kasipo told NewZimbabwe.com over the weekend that she will not abandon the late Morgan Tsvangirai’s blue-eyed boy. Said Kasipo:
<blockquote>Those rumours are not true, I have not crossed any floor.
I am an MDC Alliance councillor and my loyalty lies with Chamisa. I am not going anywhere.</blockquote>
Chamisa enjoys grassroots popularity, but his powers were taken away from him by the courts which ruled in March this year that his ascension to the original MDC-T presidency was in violation of the party’s constitution.
Three councillors from Kwekwe have since crossed the floor to join Khupe. These are; Joshua Tinago (Ward 11), Mercy Ranga (Ward 4) and Future Titora (Ward 2).
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/defiant-kwekwe-mayor-pledges-chamisa-allegiance/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

My Loyalty Lies With Chamisa - Kwekwe Mayor

Kwekwe Town is reportedly in the process of renovating the town’s mayoral mansion for the sole purpose of turning it into a lodge, the Chronicle reports. The mansion which is located in the town’s Hillandale suburb has been vacant since former Mayor Matenda Madzoke vacated the premises following a public outcry according to the publication. The current Mayor Angeline Kasipo has not moved into the mansion since assuming duty in 2018.
A source that spoke to the publication about the mansion’s renovations said:
<blockquote>The mansion is meant to be converted into a lodge. This is why you see renovations being carried out at the mansion. Councillors proposed that instead of it being left to lie idle like that.</blockquote>
This was confirmed by the Town’s Director Of Housing Edwin Chiyangwa who told a full council meeting that:
<blockquote>We are working with our colleagues from the engineering department and we have managed to acquire most of the material needed for the job. Very soon we will be giving feedback on the progress but the work is going on well.</blockquote>
When contacted for comment, Kwekwe Mayor confirmed the development and said:
<blockquote>Yes, we are renovating because the mansion was now in a bad state. But we are yet as council to make a decision on what to do with the house after renovations. As of now we are still concentrating on the renovations,</blockquote>
Councillors reportedly refused to sell the mansion saying it was against council policies.
More: <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/kwekwe-converts-mayoral-mansion-into-lodge/">Chronicle </a>

Kwekwe To Turn Idle Mayoral Mansion Into A Lodge - Report

Kwekwe Councillors this past week passed a resolution to appoint the town’s acting town clerk  Dr Lucia Mnkandla as a substantive town clerk since the retirement of the town’s former town clerk Emmanuel Musara in December 2017, the Chronicle reports
The development was confirmed by the Mayor Ms Angeline Kasipo when she said:
<blockquote>As council we have recommended that Dr Mnkandla be appointed substantive Town Clerk. We made the recommendation as a council and we have since submitted our recommendation to Government.
We decided to go for the devil we know. Dr Mnkandla has been there with us and we have seen what she is capable of doing hence our decision to recommend her for the job,</blockquote>
The Post fell vacant in December 2017 when the former town clerk Emmanuel Musara retired. According to the publication, these are some of the people who were interviewed for the job:
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>Law Society of Zimbabwe President who is former Kwekwe Chamber Secretary, Edward Mapara,</li>
<li>Chitungwiza Director of Housing Mrs Hazel Sithole</li>
<li>Gweru assistant Finance Director Mr Michael Verenga</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/mnkandla-appointed-kwekwe-town-clerk/">Chronicle </a>

Kwekwe Appoints Town Clerk

The Kwekwe Mayor Angeline Kasipo has revealed that Kwekwe residents are ignoring lockdown restrictions and further denied rumours circulating that at one point she had to call the army on the non-compliant residents.
Speaking to New Zimbabwe the MDC Councillor said:
<blockquote>As a local authority, our concern is to ensure awareness, prevention and cure..Compliance is generally very low amongst the residents in Kwekwe, not only in the Central Business District but also in residential areas such as Mbizo which is the largest residential area in Kwekwe
I never at any time mentioned soldiers, the army or the need to bring in (unleash) the army,</blockquote>
Her reports on the residents not adhering to the lockdown restrictions were further confirmed by  Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) which said it was receiving tip-offs of police officers taking bribes from lockdown defiants to look the other way.
<blockquote>The Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) is receiving tip-offs of police officers (from Zimbabwe Republic Police) who are soliciting for bribes during the mandatory coronavirus (Covid-19) shutdown period that commenced on the 30th of March 2020.
After receiving the bribes, the police give a blind eye to people violating the Covid-19 regulations.
Businesses pay bribes to operate outside the gazetted periods. Individuals violating the Covid-19 pay bribes to avoid being arrested.Motorists pay bribes to visit town without giving valid reasons. Shebeen operators pay bribes to operate hustle free in violation of the law</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/lockdown-kwekwe-mayor-denies-inviting-army-on-residents/">New Zimbabwe</a>

Kwekwe Residents Defying Lockdown Restrictions  - Kwekwe Mayor

<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Kwekwe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kwekwe</a> City Council (KCC) has converted a local beerhall in Mbizo high-density suburb into a Coronavirus screening centre.
This was revealed by Acting Town Clerk Lucia Mkandla during a recent meeting with Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Larry Mavhima. She said:
<blockquote>We had to upgrade Garandichauya beerhall into an infectious diseases control hospital.
We have none here in Kwekwe and in the event of a disaster, we will find it difficult to control.
We, therefore, had to commission the former Garandichauya Beerhall into an infectious disease control facility.</blockquote>
Kwekwe Mayor <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Angeline_Kasipo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Angeline Kasipo</a> said KCC has budgeted ZWL$1.8 million it received for devolution for the revamping of the screening facility.
Zimbabwe currently has only two screening centres in Harare and Bulawayo for coronavirus.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/kwekwe-turns-beerhall-into-coronavirus-screening-centre/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

Kwekwe Converts Beerhall Into COVID-19 Screening Centre

The Robert Mugabe way in Kwekwe has been renamed to ED Mnangagwa, Newsday reports. Kwekwe mayor <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Angeline_Kasipo">Angeline Kasipo</a> confirmed the renaming of the street and said:
<blockquote>Yes, it is true that the street was renamed and there is a sign post on the corner of the street right now. However, we are going to be discussing that matter to see what happened because we do not have a resolution that paved the way for the renaming.
So at this stage, what I can say is that a position is going to be made at the next full council meeting to see if that development was regular or not</blockquote>
Last year the cabinet suggested that roads be renamed. The City of Bulawayo, however, <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/bcc-renames-roads-ignores-cabinet-suggestions/">renamed most roads and ignored cabinet suggestions. </a>
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2020/02/mystery-over-renaming-of-mugabe-street/">Newsday</a>

Robert Mugabe Way In Kwekwe Renamed To ED Mnangagwa Street

The City of <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Kwekwe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kwekwe</a> has renamed its main street to (Emmerson Dambudzo) ED Mnangagwa St.
This was confirmed by Kwekwe Mayor, Councillor Kasipo on Tuesday.
The street is the main artery that links the small <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Midlands_Province" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Midlands</a> city with other major cities.
The renaming of the street and the installation of the new insignia follows the government’s recent approval to have some streets renamed after the country’s icons.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/just-in-kwekwe-renames-streets/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Herald</a></h4>

Kwekwe's Main Street Renamed 'ED Mnangagwa St'

The Kwekwe City Town Council resolved to buy expensive phone tablets for its 14 councillors at a time when service delivery has fallen to deplorable levels.
It was agreed at a full council meeting recently that the procurement department had promised councillors the phones before the end of July.
NewZimbabwe.com was told by its sources that each tablet would cost US$700 or its equivalent on the interbank market. Said the source:
<blockquote>The councillors are going to get tablets before month-end like indicated by the procurement department.
Each tablet was budgeted at US$700 before the outlawing of the multi-currency regime.
I think the tablets will be procured using the equivalent amount on the interbank market.</blockquote>
Kwekwe mayor Councillor Angeline Kasipo confirmed the development and said that the move is a progressive one. She said:
<blockquote>Councillors are indeed going to receive tablets. The gadgets were budgeted for even though I am not privy to the procurement figures.
This is a progressive move considering that communication between councillors and management was a challenge.
Even when we wanted to have meetings, messages would be communicated by word of mouth which is very retrogressive.
The move is therefore progressive as it will make communication easier for the city fathers.</blockquote>
The development has however irked Kwekwe residents. Kwekwe Residents and Rate Payers Development Association Secretary-General Alex Homela recently told reporters that the council has misplaced priorities and lacks imagination:
<blockquote>Instead of taking responsibility the council always burdens residents with tariff increases even though residents are already overwhelmed and are failing to service already existing debts.</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/cash-strapped-kwekwe-city-to-pamper-councillors-with-tablets/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

Kwekwe City Council Buys Councillors Expensive Phone Tablets

In separate interviews, Kwekwe residents criticised the local authority’s decision to purchase off-road vehicles for Mayor Councillor Angeline Kasipo and two other directors.
This was after council recently announced that it had set aside about $450 000 for the purchase of three top- of-the-range vehicles for Cllr Kasipo and recently appointed directors. Said Mr Chrispen Phiri:
<blockquote>Kwekwe has become a pothole and hump city, I want the new mayor to tell us about the 65 kilometres of road network that were said to be under rehabilitation. Instead, she thinks of her new car. We want better roads and constant water supply, it shows that do not care about us.</blockquote>
Another resident, Charles Makoni, said the residents’ association should summon the minister over the matter. Kwekwe Residents and Ratepayers Association (KKRA) chairperson Alex Homela said they feel betrayed by council’s decision to buy vehicles.
<hr/>
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<li>
<h3 class="entry-title"><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2018/11/16/kwekwe-city-council-to-buy-mayoral-car-worthy-80-000/" rel="bookmark">Kwekwe City Council To Buy Mayoral Car Worth $80 000</a></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<hr/>
More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/kwekwe-residents-up-in-arms-with-council/">Herald</a>

Kwekwe Residents Blast Decision To Buy Mayor Car

Ward 10 Councillor, Angeline Kasipo, yesterday became the first female Mayor of Kwekwe after she was elected unopposed. Shadreck Tobaiwa was elected deputy mayor after the swearing in of councillors at Kwekwe Civic Centre.
A total of 14 councillors were sworn in yesterday. In her acceptance speech, Kasipo promised to ensure uninterrupted water supply. She also said she will not force vendors off the streets before an alternative site is created for them. Said Kasipo:
<blockquote>I feel humbled by the gesture and the confidence that people of Kwekwe have shown in me. I promise to repay them through servant leadership. I will be there for the people. I feel people in Kwekwe should have uninterrupted water supply. I promise to ensure that the water supply system is working right round the clock. I feel it is a bit unfair for us to say vendors should be removed from the streets when we have no alternative for them. I think it is prudent to create space for them then we move them there.</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/kwekwe-gets-first-female-mayor/">Chronicle</a>

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