MUTARE – Rusape Combined Residents Association (RCRA) has petitioned Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Deputy Minister, Chido Sanyatwe to order the closure of lodges mushrooming in residential areas as they are encouraging and increasing crime.
The petition dated January 17, 2024, is also copied to Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Misheck Mugadza and Acting Officer Commanding Police Manicaland, Assistant Commissioner Arnold Makomo.
RCRA alleges that the number of murder, theft, sexual abuse of minors and drug abuse cases has rapidly increased as most people booking the lodges are sex workers, thieves and conmen from other towns who are plying their trades in Rusape.
“Minister we are appealing to your good office to shut down all indoor lodges especially in Rusape. We have had many encounters where residents are being murdered after having sex with sex workers who are renting at these indoor lodges. These sex workers are coming from other towns to hibernate in Rusape.
“Our beautiful town is now a hotspot for the increasing murder cases in the province. Today we woke up to the sad news that one of our children has been murdered after having sex with one of these sex workers. Rusape Town Council may you intervene to make sure these houses are prohibited from allowing sex workers to rent them,” reads part of the memo.
Efforts to get a comment from Mugadza were futile as he could not be reached for a comment. Officer (CEO), Aiden Mhere will this year on March 31 make an early retirement after serving the giant sugar producing company for 25 years, The Mirror has been informed.
Head Corporate and Industry Affairs Team Dr Dahlia Garwe confirmed the development to The Mirror in a telephone interview.
Mhere will stay on as an Independent Consultant to the Group for a period of 12 months further allowing access to his counsel on issues of strategic importance to the respective companies and the sugar industry.
Garwe said Mhere’s retirement is a huge loss to the company and to the sugar industry.
Garwe also welcomed the incoming CEO Tendai Masawi.
“It’s a huge loss to the company and the sugar industry. He is one of the gurus in the industry and the good thing is that he is going to be remaining as a consultant so people can benefit from his great knowledge of the industry.
“He is experienced and he was an asset to the company and the organisation will certainly feel the loss. We welcome the incoming CEO who also has been in the sugar industry for a long time. We feel that the two of them working together for 12 month will certainly benefit the company,” said Garwe.
RCRA spokesperson, Noel Toto said the most affected areas are R section, UVE, VE, and B. He said most of the indoor lodges are found in the ZBS area.
Rusape Town Clerk, James Gabaza said the matter is of a criminal nature and referred all questions to the Police.
Acting Manicaland Police Spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka said they have not received a formal complaint.
“We have not yet received a formal complaint over the matter,” he said. – Masvingo Mirrow
