Fight over vic falls trip among cllrs

Paul Pindani in CHINHOYI

A CHINHOYI Councillor claims he was assaulted by a fellow Councillor this week following a heated chamber exchange over his demands for fellow Councillors to reimburse the allowances they received for a trip to Victoria Falls.

Cllr David Malunga, who is leading the campaign for the Councillors to reimburse the Council, claims he was assaulted by Cllr Godfrey Mushandamuri.

He filed a police report under RRB 6557353.

“I was assaulted yesterday by Councillor Muzhandamuri around 9pm after I had demanded that Councillors reimburse council money for not going to Victoria Falls using their own vehicles.

“They left their cars in Bulawayo and boarded some lifts that took them to Victoria Falls. They must own up and pay back the money, ndokuti nyaya ipere,” said Cllr Malunga.

Cllr Muzhandamuri said he only exchanged words with Cllr Malunga.

“About the reimbursement issue, it’s just a talk show from Malunga who is seeking relevance and sympathy from the residents,” said Cllr Muzhandamuri.

“The only person responsible for that is the Accounting officer who is the Town Clerk.”

This is the latest example where Councillors here are turning the chamber into a circus arena over petty issues which is undermining the provision of service delivery to the residents of Chinhoyi. The drama started when Councillor Malunga demanded that those who went to Victoria Falls should reimburse the Council the allowances they were given.

He claimed most of the Councillors, who went on that trip, did not use their vehicles even though they had been given fuel allowance to travel to the country’s premier tourist resort using their vehicles.

This did not go down well with other Councillors who told Cllr Malunga that the issue had already been dealt with.

However, Cllr Malunga stood his ground resulting in Cllr Muzhandamuri telling him that the Councillors were not going to bow down to his demands and would not reimburse the money. Cllr Malunga was ejected from the chamber and Cllr Muzhandamuri followed him. In the ensuing confrontation, Cllr Malunga claims he was assaulted.