Last week, while addressing a rally in Gutu, Mnangagwa said all local authorities should adhere to programmes as reflected in the ruling party’s manifesto.
“Rural and urban councils should have developmental programmes. As the ruling party, you have the right to know the work that is being done by the local authorities and their budgets.
“We are the ruling party and we have a manifesto that informs us what we should do. So, local authorities should follow programmes of the ruling Zanu-PF party.
“It is our time to rule, whether you like it or not. The chairmen should summon all the MPs to the Provincial Co-ordinating Committee to present projects that they are working on,” Mnangagwa said.
In an interview with Zim Morning Post, Hlatshwayo said MDC governs local authorities, while Zanu-PF was running down electricity supply, hospitals and other institutions.
“MDC controls and governs local authorities, where the development agenda is engineered. On the 11th and 12th of March, MDC will be unveiling the People’s Smart Councils Agenda for both the rural and urban areas at the Inaugural Smart Councils Summit. MDC is the leading party that sets national priorities.
“Zanu-PF has an agenda of running down the country.
” It has run down fuel; it has run down electricity; it has run down hospitals; it has run down NRZ, it has run down AirZim; it has run down the constitution; it has run down marriages, just to mention but a few.
“Zimbabweans will not let them continue to run down their country,” Hlatshwayo said.
He also said Mnangagwa remained an illegitimate leader and his address to MDC councils would not change anything.
“It is public knowledge that Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF rigged the people’s vote. We are consistent as a people and as MDC that Mnangagwa has a disputed legitimacy and nothing will change that. He remains illegitimate,” Hlatshwayo said.
“The challenges that local authorities are facing is due to Mnangagwa’s failure. The problems are beyond local authorities. It is the central government that has failed to manage the macro-economic fundamentals.”
He blamed Mnangagwa’s administration for interfering with the operations of local authorities.
“Councils will come back with nothing. Zanu-PF is blank in as far as providing good leadership is concerned. It is driven by the will to power against the will to transform. The problem in Zimbabwe is a leadership crisis,” said the MDC official.
