Absentee Waterfalls councillor annoys ratepayers

WATERFALLS residents under Ward 23 in Harare have of late been wondering if Councillor Stanley Manyenga is still their representative in council because of he has not been active in the ward and does not bother to respond to residents’ inquiries on service delivery issues.

Suburban Reporter

The residents say a lot of service delivery issues are going unaddressed in Ward 23 comprising Parktown, Mainway Meadows, Prospect, Cheviot, Picnic Park, Uplands, Grobbie Park, Derbyshire, Shortstone while their councillor is nowhere to be seen.

According to the residents, Cllr Manyenga is not proactive and does not take the initiative to update residents on any service delivery issues in Ward 23. Some have been wondering if Cllr Manyenga is still in Zimbabwe or if he left for the Diaspora.

“Has Councillor Manyenga relocated to the Diaspora?” queried one resident on the Ward 23 residents’ online platform.

Another one responded saying Cllr Manyenga was no longer bothered about issues in Ward 23 and Zimbabwe because he had accomplished what he wanted without specifying the accomplishment but seemingly suggesting once he got into office, he was no longer in touch with residents in the ward.

Other residents said they even inquired from the administrator of the Ward 23 residents’ WhatsApp group if Cllr Manyenga was still in office or he had been recalled by CCC secretary-general Mr Sengezo Tshabangu.     Mr Tshabangu has recalled several Members of Parliament and councillors from Parliament and councils saying they no longer represented the interests of CCC. The recalls have led to by-elections being held in the affected constituencies and wards across the country.

However, some residents informed the discussion that Cllr Manyenga was indeed still the Councilor for Ward 23 and was also on the Ward 23 residents’ WhatsApp group where the discussion was taking place.

“He’s actually in this group and still the councillor for our ward. Hopefully, one day he will find reason/sense to respond or say something,” said one resident.

Residents expressed their disappointment with the silent treatment Cllr Manyenga was giving people who voted him into council saying a Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company official who responds timeously and always helps residents whenever they encounter electricity faults or outages, was now more like the councillor for Ward 23 because of his responsiveness to consumers’ inquiries.

“Dai sema residents taibvumirwa kudhingura munhu taimubvisa Stan, he’s useless! (If we had the authority as residents to reject elected officials we would have removed Stan from office, he’s useless!” interjected another resident.

Residents demanded that Cllr Manyenga should give them an update highlighting his achievements and failures on service delivery and community issues since he was elected into the position. The residents told Cllr Manyenga that accountability was key when one is a public servant but the councillor remained silent and did not bother to respond to any of the residents’ sentiments or inquiries.

The residents were pissed off by Cllr Manyenga’s conduct and lamented why he was failing to even respond to any one of the inquiries put across to him.

So frustrated were the residents, they even suggested a petition against Cllr Manyenga to pass a vote of no confidence against him.

“Is it not possible to do a petition against our councillor for (a) vote of no confidence.  Papinde (so we elect) someone who wants to do the job wholeheartedly,” asked a resident.

Other ratepayers advised that the vote of confidence could have worked if Cllr Manyenga was an independent but he belonged to a party (CCC) and they would have to go through the structures of his party to have him removed from office.

One resident told the discussion that fellow residents were being dramatic over the matter but the ratepayers would have none of it and even requested if anyone on the group had Mr Tshabangu’s contact details.

“Hapana drama apa (there is no drama at all). It’s typical of Zimbabwean politicians, once elected into office they disappear from the arena only to miraculously reappear during election time begging to be re-elected…,” said a resident.

Added another concerned resident: “We have residents posting about burst pipes all over Waterfalls isn’t Stan who should be on the forefront as councillor addressing those issues to the relevant authorities. What’s the purpose of him being the councillor then? It’s no different from the post being vacant, why run for an office you neglect after being elected? Let those who are willing to do the work do it.”

The discussion heard that one of the losing candidates in Ward 23 predicted that there will no development in the ward until the next elections in 2028.

“I thought he was just being bitter after his defeat but now it’s starting to make sense. Where is the elected councillor?”

However, arguments were made that development was taking place in Ward 23 without the involvement of the “absentee” councillor with a bridge under construction along Mukuvisi River near the Waterfalls District Office to link with the roundabout on Harare Drive.

A month and some weeks after the discussions, Cllr Manyenga is still to respond to the Ward 23 residents’ sentiments.