Emmanuel Chitsika
Confusion hovering over the official opening of Masvingo City Council run Northwest Medical Clinic in Runyararo West suburb is not yet over as councillors from opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) recently called upon council to ensure the facility is ‘properly opened’ with all councillors present.
Speaking during a full council meeting held at Council chambers on March 27, ward 4 councillor Alec Tabe said it was proper for management to set yet another date for the official opening independent from the ‘political hijacking’ by a political party (Zanu PF) that took place last month which saw ruling party vice president Kembo Mohadi officiating during his visit to Masvingo.
“As councillors, we feel proper procedures were not followed with regards to the official opening of the clinic. We should have invited the relevant stakeholders and the community to the official opening of Northwest Clinic as a way of ensuring a sense of ownership to the facility on their part.
“Some of us (councillors) did not attend the official opening as it was turned into a political gathering by those who officiated (Kembo Mohadi and Zanu PF) and our position remains, there is need to officially open the clinic and the new Cambria Farm landfill site. Prior to the opening of the clinic, we had agreed that proper procedures were to be followed and that was not the case,” said Tabe.
However, Zanu PF ward 10 councillor Sengerayi Manyanga who chairs the Public Works Committee said there was no need to re-do the official opening as it is already done.
“On the issue of the clinic opening, I disagree with the re-do of an already done official opening. We cannot do two official openings (mhandara haibviswe umhandara kaviri). Bearing in mind that the clinic was built with part of Devolution funds, and then the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) can send whoever he wants to preside over the opening.
“Re-doing that official opening may be tantamount to fighting government of which we are in that same government and thus the matter is over. Let us not act as if we are fighting the president. Even council management could not have the powers to stop it (Zanu PF hijacking the event), so let us leave it like that,” said Manyanga.
Masvingo Mayor and ward 2 councillor Collen Maboke however argued that there is no way central government would continue interfering with affairs of local authorities since devolution funds once disbursed, they become council funds hence need for non-interference principle to be employed.
“Devolution is enshrined in the constitution, after all its ratepayers’ money so we cannot say if the funds are disbursed, central government remains in control of such funds in our coffers. Central government cannot interfere with operations of councils on the pretext that its devolution funding.
“These devolution funds are correctly defined in the constitution as council money and are entitled to it that is why I always ask the Finance Director about such funds, they are our entitlement. Thus government cannot wake up claiming responsibility over the facility, if ever they wanted to construct it, what was the logic behind involving council?
“Council used its human resources who are on council payroll and were not paid from devolution funds. We also used our own resources as council like water, river sand and even fuel for transportation of materials and workers. In fact, devolution funds were used to purchase building materials and nothing more,” said Maboke.
Ward 3 councillor Roki Kamuzonda also weighed in saying central government was not the only player in the construction of the health facility and hence there was no need to claim it and forcibly open it officially.
“Central government was not the only player in this whole construction process. If that is the case of saying government presides over everything involving devolution funds, so we should have seen the President everywhere and all over the country officially opening or handing over such items. As council, do we still have ownership over this health facility?” said Kamuzonda.
Northwest clinic debacle has been on-going for quite some time from the naming of the facility with Manyanga fiercely opposing the name arguing it should be named after the President or any other national hero, a move that hit a snag as CCC councillors objected saying that would be politicisation of the clinic.
Mohadi who is no longer in government officially opened the clinic in February when he came for the monthly Clean Up exercise in Masvingo but all seven CCC councillors boycotted the event leaving their three Zanu PF counterparts in attendance.
