‘ownership’ of Chitungwiza exposed
said.
Members of Parliament Brighton Mazhindu (St Mary’s) and Godfrey Sithole (Chitungwiza North) met Magaya earlier on before the stakeholders meeting, whose participants had been invited courtesy of CAVITA.
“I didn’t receive any money from Magaya and it’s prudent that councils are not run by MPs; why would I get money from Magaya if I cannot influence,” Mazhindu told Truth Diggers.
“Councillors are there to protect the interests of the people, so they should consult widely before making a decision on this memorandum of agreement.
“Magaya is coming in as an investor, a businessman and it’s up to the council to decide whether to entertain him or shut him out.”
Sources who attended the stakeholders’ meeting at Yadah Hotel last week on Friday said the gathering was just meant to coerce them into supporting the memorandum of agreement.
“The media was not invited and certain organisations were not represented at all,” said a source.
“In that meeting Magaya said the memorandum of agreement was facing hurdles because councillors and managers wanted him to pay them monthly allowances of US$300 on top of buying each of them a kombi to approve it.
“It was more of a strategic meeting where it was agreed that CMF mobilises residents to protest against the council’s acting town clerk over his refusal of the memorandum of agreement.
“CMF does not have the numbers and residents were not even aware of that aborted protest. Maybe he was going to take those youths from Unit L.”
Game of deceit
Last Monday there was heavy police presence at Chitungwiza Municipality offices after reports of protests, despite the fact that CMF had notified the law enforcement agency.
“The persistent water scarcity in our area stays unresolved.
“Furthermore, the administration’s delay in entering into public-private partnership agreements, particularly regarding the Jonasi Aquifer project, exacerbates the situation.
“We urge swift action to alleviate this pressing issue,” read the CMF letter justifying the demonstrations.
However, a former Chitungwiza councillor who spoke on condition of anonymity sees it differently.
“The protesters wanted to misrepresent residents into believing that council is barring Magaya from providing them with water, but the contents of the memorandum of agreement is something else,” he said.
Residents said while part of the Chitungwiza masterplan was meant to ameliorate service delivery shortcomings, they are not gratified with the provisions of the memorandum of agreement.
“The position of our organisation on the proposed memorandum of agreement between Chitungwiza Municipality and Wistmer Investments is stinking as bad as the Geo Pomona Waste Management deal,” said Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents Association (Camera) director Marvellous Kumalo.
“We do not support daylight robbery.” Kumalo said he was invited to represent Camera at the stakeholders meeting at the Yadah Hotel, but did not agree to the demands of Wistmer Investments.
Chitungwiza Progressive Residents Association spokesperson Gift Kurupati said the memorandum of agreement was in bad faith.
“We are not against Wistmer Investments or any form of development in Chitungwiza, but we are saying things must be done transparently,” he said.
“On the issue of the masterplan, the council should advertise so that they can choose a competent company through abidding process.
“As of now, we say no to privatisation of Chitungwiza Municipality and if Wistmer Investments decided to donate whatever to council they must do it without conditions, they approached the council with dirty hands.”
Magaya could not be reached for comment yesterday, but a representative of Wistmer Investments Admire Mango said they were still negotiating with Chitungwiza Municipality and government.
“There was never any memorandum of agreement, which was rejected and remember boreholes were already drilled with US$19 million having been set aside to help Chitungwiza,” Mango said.
“Right now the prophet is in Kenya for a crusade, so I will update you when you draw up proper questions and you tell me the real help that you need.
“Ask the council again and they will give you a proper position because there was another meeting with all ministers involved and direction was given and for the record there was not even any memorandum of agreement to comment about.
“At 10am on Tuesday bring your note book at Yadah Hotel where I hope one council member or two would be present to give you the true position of every event not a one-sided story that aims to brand damage.
“Your intentions are not of a story, but of a side, hence you are not listening, but writing what you always wanted to write.
“You already had a headline in mind, but you are not trying to get the truth.”
Chitungwiza Municipality spokesperson Tafadzwa Kachiko said Wistmer Investments had expressed interest in investing in eight sectors and code-named this investment drive the Chitungwiza Smart and Green City Transformation Project.
“The projects cover waste management, water supply, markets, transport, light industry, infrastructure development, ICT perception, and town planning,” Kachiko said.
“On January 5, 2024, Chitungwiza and Wistmer signed a memorandum of understanding.
“Then, in terms of the masterplan, the two parties haven't signed any memorandum of agreement as there have been issues that we were not in agreement on.
“The council convened a special meeting on April 8 where it resolved to reject the master plan memorandum of agreement draft because of conditions that had been set.
“We went back to the negotiating table, where the parties agreed to remove the contentious clause.”