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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
HWANGE Local Board (HLB) plans for a municipality status could hit a snag as newly elected councillors are reportedly at each other’s throats over positions.

This comes after ‘newcomer’ councillors won all five committee chairpersons posts relegating the so-called old horses to mere back benchers.

The senior councillors who claim to be the force behind growth of Hwange are reportedly scheming against their youthful counterparts and mobilising residents to boycott paying bills.

The wrangle in the MDC Alliance dominated council could affect full incorporation of all wards into a single municipal town which the local authority applied for.

Councillors from ward 1 to 7 covering Baobab, Chibondo, Empumalanga and industrial areas are on one side while those from wards 8 to 14 which make up the concession area around Lwendulu, Cinderella, Madumabisa, Lusumbami, Makwika and National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) are on the other.

Council deputy chairperson Alderman Admire Munhenga (ward 2), Andrew Mumpande (ward 6) and Absalom Kwenda (ward 4) are alleged to be driving the anti- wards concession agenda.

The three are accused of using the ongoing budget consultation meetings to persuade residents not to pay rates in protest.

The concession area is administered by Hwange Colliery Company, NRZ and Zesa and was incorporated into HLB during the 2008 harmonised elections.

The wrangle has also reportedly torn apart the Hwange Residents Association which has also been divided along political factions.

The Chronicle was reliably informed that residents and councillors from wards 1 to 7 want councillors from wards 8 to 14 not to be paid allowances because their wards do not pay rates to the council but to the respective administrating companies.

Contacted for comment, HLB council chairperson Alderman Nqobile Mabhena said investigations are underway.

“I’ve heard about this issue and we are investigating but I don’t think it’s anything we can’t handle internally. In any case what we should be doing is work together towards incorporation of our town,” said Ald Mabhena.

Clrs Munhenga, Kwenda and Mumpande said it is not true that they were mobilising residents against the council.

“Residents raised that issue and not us councillors. Whoever is accusing us is lying and might have an axe to grind with us because the issue isn’t new. It’s only that they have become greedy and angered residents,” said Ald Munhenga.

While the local authority is pushing for incorporation and municipal status, Ald Munhenga shot down the plans saying it was now a tired song dating back to more than 20 years ago before he became a councillor.

He however, called for the establishment of a committee to handle the municipal status issue.

Clr Mumpande concurred saying it was the residents who were concerned about paying of allowances to councillors from the concession area when their wards were not paying bills and rates to the council.

“It’s residents who questioned who will be paying allowances for councillors from the concession area,” he said.

Clr Kwenda said the issue can only be solved by Government.

Hwange Residents Association co-ordinator Mr Fidelis Chima said the Empumalanga versus concession area war is against Hwange’s vision.

“What’s surprising is that ZPC which is in the concession area is the biggest ratepayer while Empumalanga residents are struggling to pay rates due to economic challenges.

“As residents we want to see full incorporation of all wards and the town attaining municipality status hence we implore councillors to work together and desist from wanting to remain ward activists,” he said. —
@ncubeleon