Staff reporter
ZAKA – Two Zanu PF councilors from ward 9 in Zaka District recently clashed over a funeral speech in which the sitting councilor Livison Paradza felt threatened by fellow councilor Beauty Musunda who got in council through women’s quota after she gave a speech as councilor at a funeral.
Zanu PF provincial chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa who is also Zaka senator confirmed the development and said he had received the matter and it was being handled.
“I am aware of the incident and we are handling the matter. We just encourage our members to work in harmony,” said Mavenyengwa.
He said when faced with a similar situation, the proportional representative is not the owner of the ward so she should engage the ward councilor first before addressing people on his or her behalf. He also said in cases where she has to represent the councilors, she has to acknowledge to the people that she is representing the councilor.
“If the proportional representative wants to address people in any ward she has to notify the ward councilor who will mobilize people for her.
“If there is an event and the sitting councilor is not there, she then has to notify the ward councilor and in her address she has to tell the people that she is representing the ward councilor,” said Mavhenyengwa
In a 11 minute audio leaked to TellZim News, an irate Paradza is heard threatening Masunda with demotion saying she had no right to stand in for him as councilor without his permission and said he would escalate the ,matter to the top leadership so that she gets recalled.
“I want to call Brian (Brian Munyoro the Zanu PF provincial commissar), you were there at the meeting, you were told, and we used our resources for you to be councilors so if you continue doing what you are doing I won’t tolerate that.
“You cannot go and address a gathering without my knowledge, why didn’t you call me? You are women’s quota, so you address women,” said Paradza
She tried to explain saying she spoke based on what was said by the MP Davies Marapira but Paradza interjected saying Marapira was nothing and had no power to tell them what to do.
“Marapira has no power, who is he, we campaigned using our own resources and if you dare I can apply to the party and tell them you are now growing big. I am the councilor, I have a stamp and who are you, you are just a quota. If you go to any gathering and want to talk you have to tell the people that you are representing me.
“In fact, tomorrow, I want to apply and from today you are my enemy. You can’t have power like me. For you to be a councilor it’s my resources, the party didn’t give me any resources. You were given ward 9, 13, 14, and 15, so does that mean you now have power over all those wards?
“You are not a councilor, I didn’t reply to Marapira because he was saying nothing, go and tell him that I have said that,” fumed Paradza
Paradza is a teacher at a local school and is one of those whose salaries were ceased after they contested on Zanu PF ticket.
Paradza went on to say Masunda only became councilor because she had 5 O levels but has never campaigned for Zanu PF and only got in out of pity because she was not voted for.
“I am not a fool. I’m more clever than you think. You came to the party with your 5 O‘Levels and we understood you. No one even voted for you, your name was not even on the ballot. I made you who you are now. Have you ever campaigned for Zanu PF all your life? Respect those who respect you. I will humiliate you in front of everyone,” said Paradza.
He said Masunda should record the audio and give it to Marapira. He went on to say that Masunda was now his enemy and that she should not greet him if they met.
“Go ahead and record what I am saying. Make sure you give it to Marapira. From today onwards we are now enemies. If we meet don’t greet me,” he said.
Efforts to explain herself as Paradza took none of it and declared her his worst enemy until she told him to do whatever she felt was right.
“I never thought you would be angry, I was just doing what we were told to do by Marapira, however, you are free to do whatever you want,” said Masunda.
