By Leopold Munhende
CHITUNGWIZA Mayor Lovemore Maiko has accused Zanu PF activists operating from a party office within the dormitory town, of terrorising council employees.
This comes barely two days after the same activists allegedly disrupted sewer waste clearance operations within the town.
Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com Sunday, Maiko said council employees, including acting town clerk Tonderai Kasu and head engineer Emmanuel Mushata are now living in fear after receiving threats from the group on separate occasions.
Maiko said the latest was on Friday when leaders of Chitungwiza South used party youths to beat up sewers supervisor Philemon Tarutira as he directed deblocking processes in Ward 7.
“Sand had blocked the main sewer pipe that runs through Ward 7 because of the rains that fell a few weeks back and since council had no fuel, I had to source funds personally for the fuel.
“On 21 February, council employees started the deblocking process but as they were in the process, Charamba, the entire Zanu PF district leadership and some youths brought in a car inscribed ‘Chitungwiza South’ came and assaulted Philemon Tarutira who is our Sewers Supervisor.
“They tried to attack me but they were restrained by some of their own members before apologising and indicating they had brought fuel to be used there,” said Maiko.
“I asked them to use the fuel in other wards as I had already covered Ward 7.”
Maiko shared with NewZimbabwe.com messages to Kasu from purported Zanu PF war veterans indicating they were going to beat him up this Monday if he attempted to get into council offices.
He indicates to the mayor that he has been getting more of the threats.
Mushata has also been told the same.
Added Maiko: “They are using these cowboy tactics to beat people into submission. Who does not know the author of the current economic crisis we are in?
“Council employees are now living in fear and we fear they could resist deployment to some of the areas these people are known to frequent meaning this will eventually hamper service delivery.”
