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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent

COUNCILORS operating under the banner Councilors for Ensuring Development (Councilors for ED) have vowed to ensure that development reaches all communities as envisaged by the New Dispensation led by President Mnangagwa.

Through the National Development Strategy (NDS1), the Second Republic has championed several devolution projects across the country with the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP), among others, being lauded for transforming communities.

The positive impact of these projects has exposed the inefficiencies of opposition-led local authorities that have been failing to deliver tangible results and could only lay blame on the sitting Government.

The recently formed ‘Councilors for ED’ forum has expressed its support for the Zanu PF administration, which it said has shown real commitment to enhancing ordinary people’s livelihoods. Chairperson of the grouping, which has a membership of about 1 000 councilors from across the country, Mr Rogers Nhari, said they want to ensure that development gets to the people as intended. He said the group, whose patron is President Mnangagwa, will be officially launched at dates to be advised.

Councillors for ED National Chaiperson, Councillor Rodgers Nhari

“We want to showcase devolution projects in every ward as we work towards attaining five million votes for President Mnangagwa come 2023,” said Mr Nhari. “We are aware that there are some elements among us who want to sabotage the devolution projects so that the Government does not get recognition.

“There are also some who are claiming to have sourced funds for the development, but we want it all to be clear that it is the Zanu-PF government, which is doing this. “Mr Nhari, who is also Zibagwe Rural District Council chairperson for finance committee, said they have designed a schedule that will see them visiting every province. “In each ward across the country, there is a Zanu PF councillor. We want to analyse how the councillors lost their seats. We want to get to the bottom of the issues and ensure that the issues are addressed,” he said.

“Hence, we have lined up tours of not only the wards where we lost but even those we won, to see whether people are benefiting or not. “Mr Nhari said their main agenda was to complement the efforts by the ruling party’s cell structure so that they help attain the targeted five million votes by 2023.

“We are a nucleus of the campaign since we have people on the ground. We want to campaign for President Mnangagwa through people centered development. We, therefore, want to analyze the dynamics of each end of every ward,” he said.

According to the schedule, the group will visit Matabeleland South Province on 6 July, Matabeleland North on 8 July and Bulawayo on 10 July before embarking on other provinces on dates yet to be announced.