Chinhoyi sitting on fire time bomb . . . infighting rocks council
CHINHOYI Municipality is operating without a fire tender, a development that was exposed when fast food outlet Eat and Lick was gutted by fire on Tuesday morning.
A fire tender had to come from Harare, as the Chinhoyi Municipality fire tender was said to have gone for repairs.
As a result, the Makonde District Civil Protection Unit (CPU) met yesterday to review the state of disaster preparedness in the district.
Chinhoyi health services director Dr William Mayabo admitted that council was operating without a fire tender, but expressed optimism that it would be back from Harare once repaired.
“Our fire tender has gone to Harare for repairs and we are facing a problem of spare parts as our supplier of the fire tender, Zimoco, has no spare parts,” he said.
“We have now approached Harare City Council and they have indicated that they can assist us.”
Dr Mayabo said the local fire brigade was facing a number of problems, including the absence of a reaction car.
In the Eat and Lick fire incident, the fire-fighting team had to use an ambulance to ferry equipment to the scene.
Chamber secretary Mr Abel Gotora said council would use one of its pool vehicles as a reaction car.
The health department has one operational ambulance.
Makonde district administrator Mr Joseph Manyurapasi insisted on the need for effective communication by members of the Civil Protection Unit in communicating fire outbreaks to avoid loss of life and property.
“We need to improve on the way we communicate these disasters and be able KADOMA residents have raised concern over failure by the local authority to collect refuse, raising fears of disease outbreak.
A survey has shown that refuse was only being collected in the Central Business District, leaving out residential areas like Rimuka and Waverly.
Residents have resorted to dumping refuse by the roadside.
A Mornington resident, Mr Joseph Wagusiwa, said garbage had not been collected since 2016 in their area.
“Since 2016, we have not seen refuse trucks in Mornington and surrounding locations,” he said.
“We live very close to town, but our city council seems to have neglected us.
“We have resorted to dumping the refuse at our backyards, then burn it when CHINHOYI Town councillors are involved in damaging infighting following allegations of misappropriation of funds under the Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Fund.
In the infighting, some councillors are backing Ward 1 Councillor Tapera Mutovido, while others are rooting for businessman Mr Godfrey Mavankeni.
Council sources told The Herald that emotions ran high at the last full council meeting where the factional leanings were on full display.
Those fighting in Clr Mutovido’s corner allegedly pushed for the firing of Mr Mavankeni as the Chinhoyi Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Fund chairperson.
The councillors raised allegations of misappropriation of the Christmas cheer funds and sponsored a resolution to dissolve Mr Mavankeni’s committee. Councillors later adopted the
to assist in whatever form,” he said.
Chinhoyi Deputy Mayor Councillor Derek Matapura said council should put its house in order by buying fire-fighting equipment.
“Surely, from what we have experienced so far in terms of these fire outbreaks, there is need for council to see what is lacking in terms of its equipment,” he said.
Eat and Lick Chinhoyi caught fire after resolution after heated debate and it now awaits implementation.
Town clerk Mr Maxwell Kaitano is also said to be fighting in Mr Mavankeni’s corner, together with the mayor Clr Test Michaels and Clr Ignatius Zvigadza.
“We passed a resolution to dissolve the committee over many allegations, including swindling of funds for the past four years,” said one of the councillors who declined to be identified.
“Over the past four years, there were no financial reports presented to council, but to our surprise, the mayor allowed the same culprits to organise this year’s event.”
In an interview, Cllr Michaels confirmed that there was some infighting within council over the Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Fund.
“There is no misappropriation of funds by the Mavankeni-led team, but it is just mere politics at play,” he said.
a suspected electrical fault and property worth thousands of dollars was destroyed in the process.
Chinhoyi Municipality allegedly responded after more than an hour instead of the standard reaction time of about 20 minutes for an incident within the city.
Chinhoyi Municipality said it would soon embark on awareness campaigns targeting food outlets, supermarkets and
“Yes, we passed a resolution of dissolving the committee and resolved to select a new team.
“However, it was pointless to dissolve the team as they had already started doing this year’s preparations. These people just want to make a decision out of anger.”
Mr Mavankeni said the funds were administered directly from council.
“As a committee, we do not have access to the money,” he said.
“It is only signed for by council officials. It is just organisational politics by detractors who are trying to tarnish my good reputation in the society.”
Mr Kaitano lashed out at some councillors, who are accusing Mr Mavankeni of impropriety.
“All the council money is signed for by signatories of which Mavankeni is not one of them,” he said.
“For people to say he misappropriated funds is a display of a misinformed decision.”
Chinhoyi University of Technology Hotel as most of the fires were coming from kitchens.
“We are targeting those in the food industry to make sure their employees are well versed with putting out fires and all information related to extinguishing fires,” said Mr Mayabo.
“We are also going to ensure that licences are issued only where conditions are met.”
trucks and we managed to order the spare parts, but they turned out to be the wrong ones.”
Mr Chirundu said the spare parts arrived before Christmas, but had to be returned after they turned out to be the wrong ones.
Kadoma, he said, was expecting more spare parts for the trucks from South Africa.
Mr Chirundu assured residents that the situation would soon improve.