Demonstrators disrupt Tongogara RDC meeting in Shurugwi

A full council meeting at Tongogara Rural District Council (RDC) ended abruptly on friday 6th April when group of people claiming to be demonstrating against corruption and maladmistration at the local authority stormed into the meeting.

The demonstration was also staged amid allegations that TRDC CEO Brain Rufasha was trying to stop kraalhead Billian Marira from selling stands to residents.Marira is alleged to have sold 200 stands so far. They also accused Rufasha of corruption and wanted him fired. They waved banners inscribed, “in solidarity with the new dispensation, zero tolerate to corruption the CEO and his team must go”
Some of the group’s allegations against the CEO were that he was not giving licences to new business people,
he was demanding plans for buildings that were built more than 20 years ago.
In his defense the CEO says what we are doing is standard practice for all councils. We vet businesses applicants to see if they do not owe the council money and if do not we license them upon them giving us a payment plan their arrears. We have licenced 90%of businesses and the remaining could not meet the minimum standard to be licenced. We have since Reported to the DA for selling council land.
Marira confirmed that he was in the business of selling stands because the stands were his. He said chachacha Growth point is in my land which was with my family in 1936 from the British so I have the right to do what l want with the land. He says if the council wants the land they should compensate me.
Story by Happious chingwaya of Shurugwi-community development trust. (SCDT)