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Kariba Town Executive Mayor clears the air over relations with residents
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
Extracted from The Resident Issue 35
July 15, 2004

Kariba Town Council has been the latest victim of organised strikes orchestrated on a party political level. In Mutare, the Executive Mayor had his office under siege until police came to his rescue after what started as an enquiry into rates increases turned into a political rally. Below is a written response to media reports that the Executive Mayor was under threat from residents in the city.

I am sure you all know basically what has been circulating in the news media in regard to Kariba Municipal Council affairs in general, and the councillors and me in particular.

I shall not go into much detail of the allegations that have been made, suffice to say that my councillors and I have done nothing to be ashamed of; nothing dishonest and nothing secretive.

Following the last article in the national news media, a team of investigators has been dispatched to Kariba and, over this last weekend representatives from the ratepayers associations, the councillors, my Heads of Departments and I have been interviewed. A report will be compiled and presented to the Governor, Mashonaland West. Whilst it is not clear why the responsibility for this Urban Council has drifted away from the provisions of the Urban Councils Act and now falls under the Provincial Governor, Mashonaland West, we welcome the investigation, as it will hopefully unveil the truth in regard to council activity.

What the investigation will not reveal though, is the real reason for the constant attacks by a particular individual using the national news papers, The Herald and the Sunday Mail, as a platform to launch his campaign.

Much time and effort has been wasted, many meetings disrupted and considerable delays to progress inflicted as direct result of these attacks. I am no longer prepared to sit back and accept this constant onslaught and, in the interest of progress, owe it to the people of Kariba to expose the nature of the beast and to urge the news media to desist from publishing unsubstantiated libellous and defamatory articles.

Mr Samu Mawawo has been involved in Kariba for quite some time but I had had very little, if anything, to do with him prior to my nomination as mayoral candidate for the MDC.

Mr Mawawo, together with seven accomplices, six of whom were said to be members of the (Zanu PF) 'Top Six' from Chinhoyi, arrived at the premises of my former employers looking for me, apparently to 'persuade' me to withdraw my nomination. There they met my wife who confronted them and resisted their abuse. On their departure my wife discovered that her cellphone had been taken. She called the police, who reacted very swiftly, made follow up efforts and arrested six members of the gang. Mr Mawawo was found in possession of my wife's cellphone. The others arrested were: Admire Ndlovu, Ellias Saida, Taengwa Kadzanga, Stewart Torongo and Dominic Chiweshe. The police investigation report is No. C.R. 65-69/01/03.

It was revealed that the group had been attacking various other MDC councillor candidates and supporters and had stoned and 'petrol bombed' some houses. Incidentally, there was a shortage of petrol at the time and the 'bombs' were filled with diesel instead and were not very effective!

The accused were held in remand and attended court on various occasions before finally being granted bail in early September, after the elections!

Mr Mawawo and his associates had spent about five weeks in custody, largely because of my wife's response to the intimidatory attack on her - and the case is still on-going. The charges include theft, kidnapping, assault, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, damage to property and various other charges. My Wife is a witness against them.

The accused appear to have been abandoned by their former associates and they are without even legal representation at their trial hearings. They appear to have no valid defence against most charges and face incarceration if convicted.

Mr Mawawo claims to be the chairman of the Kariba Incorporated Area Residents and Ratepayer's Association (KIARRA). He broke away from the original Kariba Residents and Ratepayers Association which was dominated by the low density residents, and formed his association which, by all accounts, was functional at some time prior to my term of office. His association has been Zanu PF oriented. Early this year a new Zanu PF dominated residents and ratepayers association was formed and is headed by a Mr Isaac Mbongo, who advised me that the new association had been formed and was not associated with KIARRA. Two additional MDC initiated residents and ratepayers associations have since been formed and are in association with each other.

We now have five residents and ratepayers associations, four of which do not wish to be associated with Mr Mawawo or his association, which leaves KIARRA on it's own. At consultative meetings with residents held in both high density areas, the Zanu PF leadership in Kariba disowned Mr Mawawo saying "We did not send him, he does not report back to us, he is not our representative". The two MDC initiated associations do not believe he has any followers, nor do the councillors. Perhaps they are correct.

Mr Mawawo has lodgings here, which is where his wife resides, but it is believed that he is employed in Karoi and presumably resides there. One wonders why he should be so interested in the affairs of Kariba.

It is my opinion that Mr Mawawo has embarked on a personal vendetta against me because of the part my wife and I play in his very uncertain future.

John Houghton
Executive Mayor

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