Nkosentsha Khumalo
The suppression of descenting voices continues in Zimbabwe even after a different leader and different laws.
Previously, the regime of Zanu-PF strong man, the late President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, used Public Order Security Act (POSA) to suppress and thwart any voice that spoke against his rule, even if the voice was telling the truth.
It is of no surprise that the current President, Emmerson Mnangagwa who calls his administration the Second Republic, is using the same tactics as of the former President to suppress the masses of this country.
Mnangagwa is using the Police who maintained a heavy presence in Bulawayo Central Business District (CBD) on Friday last week, in a bid to suppress a planned demonstration against the Bulawayo City Council (BCC).
Dr Mike Moyo, who gladly identifies himself as King Mambo of the Lozvi /Rozvi empire had orchestrated the march to handover the BCC, a petition which contained various contentious issues.
Amongst the issues, the petition pertained renaming some of the Bulawayo townships after the past Lozvi /Rozvi Kings to create a balance. The petition also demanded the construction of cultural centres in every township and scrapping off car parking fees.
BCC was further petitioned over fair treatment of vendors and also to deal with dirty water coming out from the taps.
The King Mambo march which was to kickstart from Tredgold to the City Hall, was however, suppressed by the Police.
Government has from the past adopted to the modus operandi of using State Security authorities to clamp down any demonstrations amid certain fears in the corridors of power.
King Mambo said his march against the City Fathers was unexpectedly suppressed in a dubious manner.
“The requirement was to apply for clearance from the Police, which we did a month before. Police responded on the February 2, this month and requested for a meeting, which was held and they told us the requirements they wanted us to address before proceeding with our march.”
“This thing they mentioned, MOPA is a new thing and they just raised it now, they said ‘We haven’t certified the MOPA act’ which is something new to me. They were supposed to address that on February 2, the day we held the meeting but we were not told anything.”
” Our petition was mainly directed to the Mayor of the City, David Coltart and the Councillors, because they were granted power by the High Court that they are responsible for naming areas, “Mambo Said.
King Mambo said the BCC should urgently scrap off parking fees for motorists within the city, as the funds obtained from the operation do not assist with developing the town.
He said this amongst some of the reasons citing potholes that are bedevelling the town.
“People who want to do business in Bulawayo are now facing challenges with these car parking bays . If people don’t have a dollar, then they revert to buying out of town. The Businesses and Landlords are losing money because of the parking fees that are pushing business out the inner city.”
“Vendors have also approached me pertaining the ill treatment that they are receiving from BCC. These people are trying so hard to make a living but then now they have been now given a monthly fee of US$50 that they have to pay every month to the Council.”
“BCC must consider opening up and creating clean spaces for vendors where they will operate from and to resort from using violent means of evacuating these people,” Mambo said.
Another debacle in King Mambo’s petition pertained the issue of dirty water coming out from the taps.
He said the issue needs to be urgently addressed as residents are no longer drinking tap water but have now opted to buying water for drinking, which is another addition to the strainous expenses they already have.
Mambo said the continuous drinking of dirty water from the taps might cause cholera to the masses and hence a need for BCC to step up and address the issue.
King Mambo also petitioned BCC over renaming some of the townships after former Rozvi Kings to honour their dignity and to show cultural gratitude in their service to the nation.
“Our cultural origins have been ignored ever since the time they renamed the townships. In 1980 that should have been corrected, there should be some places that should be named after Mambo. Changamire Dombo did a lot for this country and hence there should he has a deserving chance for other places to be named after him. Former Kings must be respected and given places.
” Right now there is place called ‘Cowdray Park’ but no one or very little people even know what that means.”
“We even mentioned the issue of cultural centres, as much as there are Churches all over the city, that’s Christianity but we also need to have our traditional centres which we must use to appraise our ancestors in reserving our culture,”Mambo said.
He added that the cultural centres will also serve the purposes of educating people about the history of the country.
” We need cultural centres that will educate people so that they don’t become surprised when Cowdray Park is now renamed Changamire Dombo. We have other names like Dombo Yenyika that need to be considered so this petition is all about preserving our heritage.”
Mambo said the petition was successfully handed over to the Mayor of the City and is currently awaiting feedback with abated breath.
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