Mat North Correspondent
Residents of Victoria Falls have made it clear that they will prevent Town Clerk Ronnie Dube from returning to office, despite Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe’s recent intervention to nullify Dube’s suspension.
The suspension was enacted by the council due to allegations of corruption involving land deals and contracts connected to Mayor Prince Tuso Moyo.
The decision to suspend Dube was met with strong opposition from residents who are demanding thorough investigations into the long-standing corruption in the town.
“The reason why we were here was to give the residents feedback that they had initially asked us to write to the Mayor to say he should suspend the Town Clerk Ronnie Dube on the allegations,” explained
Kelvin Moyo, chairperson of the Victoria Falls Combined
Residents Association.
This statement was made during a meeting at Chinotimba Halls, where hundreds of residents, including war veterans and members of the Hwange Residents Association, gathered to discuss the situation and plan their next steps.
Moyo expressed the community’s dissatisfaction with Minister Garwe’s decision to rescind the suspension.
“People have resolved, after giving them the feedback, that the letter written by the minister in terms of rescinding their decision should be put aside,” he stated.
“The section that he raised can only be invoked when he is protecting the interests of the residents. In this regard, the interests of the residents are known by ourselves, and the residents are saying it is the right decision to suspend the Town Clerk in order to pave the way for the investigation.”
To ensure Dube does not report to work before the investigations are completed, the residents have planned a peaceful demonstration.
“We plan to march to the council offices to bar Dube from entering,” Moyo announced.
Minister Garwe’s decision to nullify the suspension was based on Section 139 (4) of the Urban Councils Act, which grants him the authority to intervene in council decisions.
However, Moyo contended that this legal provision does not apply in this case, arguing,
“The minister is not protecting the interests of the residents.”
The controversy surrounding Dube’s suspension is the latest in a series of allegations concerning corruption and mismanagement at the Victoria Falls City Council.
Dube has refrained from commenting on the current allegations since his suspension last week, but this is not the first instance; he was previously suspended in 2021 over similar claims, only to be reinstated later.
As the residents of Victoria Falls stand united in their call for accountability, the outcome of the ongoing investigations remains to be seen.
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