Takeover of MDC-run councils now fully underway

The hostile takeover of opposition-run urban councils, which President Mnangagwa spoke about less than a week ago, has officially started.
After witch-hunts/crackdown (on corruption), carried out throughout the year, the takeover is now being done openly.
When earlier today the Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo suspended Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume, his deputy councilor Luckson Mukunguma and four other Harare councillors who have cases pending before the courts, it became clear that Government was finishing off what it slowly worked towards all year.
Mafume is currently in remand prison over allegations of corruptly allocating housing stands to his sister Rotina Mafume and his law firm’s secretary Rutendo Muvuti without following the correct council processes.
He was granted bail and rearrested days later on allegations of trying to bribe a witness.
Mukunguma is currently out on bail pending a corruption trial after he allegedly sold housing stands in Highfield without following proper procedure.
“Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume, his Deputy councillor Mukunguma and four other Harare councillors who have cases pending before the courts have been suspended by Hon J Moyo Minister for Local Government until the finalisation of their cases,” the ministry of Local Government and Public Works posted on its official twitter handle.
Some City of Harare councillors currently before the courts are Lovemore Makuwerere of Ward 24 (Highfield), Anthony Shingadeya of Ward 11 (Mbare), Hammy Madzingira of Ward 10 (Sunningdale), Costa Mande of Ward 14 (Kambuzuma), and Tonderai Chakareda of Ward 31 (Glen View).
Throughout the course of 2020, councillors and council officials have been arrested in what the opposition leadership has termed a witch-hunt.
The previous Mayor Herbert Gomba, who was recalled in an intra-party related power struggle is also before the courts facing corruption charges that are linked to land allocations.
With no councillors to run the city, the ministry is likely to put Harare under a commission, a panel of loyalists who will push the ZANU PF agenda.
However, critics are querying how Mnangagwa, who has failed to resuscitate the economy, who together with his wife and children have been fingered in corruption, thinks his Government can do a better job.
Government has been accused of having failed to deliver the most basic requirements in every sector, worryingly in health and education.
Zimbabwe has a large number of health facilities operating under council, and if Government takes over they will be in a far worse state. The point of democracy is to have people choosing their leadership not to have a President maneuver his way into power where he is clearly not wanted.
Mnangagwa should leave councils for elected officials and focus his energy scores of policies that are lacking implementation.
Nhau/Indaba