Visibly disappointed, Chigwedere decided not to read his prepared speech and told schoolchildren that: My office would grab remaining farms around town and construct houses for the homeless. It is a government objective to provide shelter for all.
A few workers from the Ministry of Housing desperately tried to lure passersby in to the meeting, but failed to attract a single person to the audience.
We cannot attend a function deliberating on urban shelter when city fathers are not present at the event. Chigwederes term of office as governor expired some two months ago. In what capacity is he addressing the children? said Paul Kambarami of Dombotombo.
The town mayor was supposed to officiate at the function. As residents, we recognise leadership of elected councillors not Zanu (PF) hangers-on. If anyone attends events officiated by people with expired terms of office, that would be legitimising the illegitimate. It was crazy of Chigwedere to address kids on land invasion issues. We hope the boycott by residents would send the right signal to Chigwedere and Zanu (PF) that residents of this town would not accommodate dictatorship.
Governors terms of office constitutionally expired at the end of July. According to the political agreement, new governors have to be drawn from both factions of the MDC and from Zanu (PF) in proportion. Mugabe, however, has since gone back on the agreement, declaring he would only accommodate MDC governors if targeted sanctions against him and other Zanu officials were lifted.
Post published in: News