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Mbuso Ndlovu – Analysis
It used to be difficult to comprehend why each time somebody wins an election, be it at council or Parliamentary level, they would throw a party “to show gratitude to the voters”.

It’s like your maid or gardener spoiling you with food and drinks for giving them a job at your house. At every turn, we’re reminded that politicians are “the people’s servants” so it becomes curious when they thank us for making them our servants.

A few months down the line, it becomes clear why the councillor or Member of Parliament was celebrating when they start amassing unimaginable wealth. Commercial, residential and industrial stands here and there, unbridled desire for influence in every corner of the community, church, burial society, sports clubs, you name it, they are there.

All that is capped by the acquisition of monstrous fuel guzzlers and a host of youthful trophy lovers by the unashamed grandmas and granddads in our councils and Parliament.

Instead of focusing on what we gullibly voted them for following the irresistible pre-poll promises, we silently witness the exact opposite. Most of them are never heard of until it is a few months before the next elections when they return hat in hand apologetic and asking for time to rectify their shortcomings.

You must understand, you see, that lofty positions can be confusing at first but now that they can confidently find their way in council or Parliamentary chambers, they will now focus on your needs.

They conveniently quote JF Kennedy: “Our task now is not to fix the blame for the past, but to fix the course for the future”.

We are reminded that we must understand the difference between realism and utopianism (idealism) in the context of the world out there. Reality takes precedence over dreams, so we are told.

“Therefore my hands are tied and I can’t do the impossible”. Why, then do you want to return there? If toeing the party line is supreme to our aspirations as residents, why do you seek our vote?

Of late we have seen our leaders playing politics at the expense of residents. To them, all that matters is that they have snubbed their superiors in Government. Harare City Council (HCC) tried to score cheap political points recently when they rejected a Sakunda Holdings-funded Rufaro Stadium construction.

The city decided to renovate the old structure whereas the benefactor was proposing building a new modern facility. An artist’s impression of what Sakunda wanted and what HCC settled for clearly illustrates the lack of judgment in council halls. It can be said Sakunda wanted to build a 10-bedroomed mansion for a homeless beggar. The beggar, comfortable in their poverty and too proud to accept help, decided they would scavenge for stronger plastic for a better shack.

Suddenly HCC, which has been failing to mend roads and provide water to residents had millions of dollars needed to rehabilitate the stadium that they had been failing to maintain. Would it not make sense to use the money elsewhere where it is needed, that is if they have it?

Closer to home, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC), dancing to the same tune has been playing politics with people’s lives. Somehow, the councillors and their management believe the residents can be pawns in their fights with Central Government. Water is not availed to us and lack of electricity is cited as the excuse. It would make sense if we had no alternative sources of power. When power is there, we’re told there’s a technical problem at the waterworks.

When Government seeks answers, they are told not to worry, “we’ve got it”. Somebody believes typhoid and cholera will not reach them in their upmarket homes and look to ride on the death of unfortunate residents should the clinics get stretched by an epidemic of which Government will be blamed.

To show lack of wisdom, BCC suspended the health services director when garbage was piling up and it is now even worse with mountains of rubbish at every street corner. Water which used to be available four days a week is now there for only four hours a week and might soon be available for only four minutes.

When our councils failed to maintain roads to acceptable levels, in stepped the Government but councils debated for many hours trying to find ways of shutting it out. There was panic in council circles as they stood exposed. Some felt they should be given some money to do the job as if they had not been receiving Zinara funds, which they misused by applying soil instead of tar on our roads. In most instances, the soil cost much more than tar!

The Government has gone beyond imagination as most of the targeted roads have been upgraded while council has done virtually nothing on only one road they connived to pretend to be working on, the Luveve Road. Engineer Sikhumbuzo Dube, the Engineering Services acting director, says “It’s a matter of paying due diligence to resource usage, . . . once conditions are conducive, our teams will return to the site and continue from where we left”.

The question is, didn’t they know of those conditions prior to embarking on the road rehabilitation.

Who doesn’t know of our rain season? So when Government started working on the major roads, the council felt exposed and dashed into a project for which they were not ready. They must openly surrender the project to Government instead of playing politics.

The irony is that the same councils that try to undermine Government have no shame in begging for money or guarantees for loans. When they need to expand their cities, they seek Government support in getting land from rural councils around them. Umguza, Ruwa, Domboshava, Seke, have seen their big neighbours muscling their way in and parcelling out their land. Since all rural land belongs to the State, the councils often remember that whenever they want land under their rural counterparts.

Once they acquire the land, our political councils begin denying Government land to build courts as in Gweru. Small to medium enterprises in Bulawayo may never get space because councillors declined Government assistance as they want to allocate the stands. Putting the cart before the horse.

Does it matter to the emerging entrepreneur who showed them their stand? So to our mayor, we would rather not have the industrial space if Government is involved.

Our leaders must know that once they are in office, they serve our interests, not that of their political parties. If Harare rejects Sakunda finance, how does it become Sports Minister, Kirsty Coventry’s fault that facilities are derelict? She’s Africa’s most decorated Olympian and sits on the International Olympics Committee board but all those politicians who denigrate her at every turn can’t be recognised on the streets of Bulawayo or Mvuma.

Those who celebrate when councillors blindly reject Government or corporates’ funding in developing infrastructure are shooting themselves in the foot. As voters, we don’t care who funds the development of our cities, all we want are residential, commercial and industrial stands, good roads, water, schools, clinics, libraries, vocational centres, halls and playgrounds. It’s not too much to ask for.

As a voter, BCC councillors are knocking on your doors this month, pretending to be listening servants.

It is an opportunity not to be missed. Grill them on what they have achieved compared to what they promised. When they snubbed our opinions on parking management, roads rehabilitation, water and sewer management and the astronomical bills had they suffered temporary amnesia as to who put them in office? It is payback time now.