Kwekwe puts demolition of illegal tuck shops on hold

Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
KWEKWE City Council has put the demolition of illegal tuck shops on hold pending consultations with stakeholders.

The local authority had given an ultimatum to illegal tuck shop and gas vendors to regularise their operations or risk their structures being demolished without further notice.

In a public notice, acting director health services, Mrs Patricia Shumba had given the operators until Wednesday to regularise their operations before demolitions could be effected.

However, Mayor Councillor Future Titora said last Friday the demolitions have been shelved as further consultations are being made.

“When the decision to demolish the illegal structures was made, I was not there, I had gone out of town on council business. But upon my return I learnt of the development and we then decided to shelve the decision till further notice,” said Clr Titora.

She said consultations will be made with fellow councillors, tuck shop owners as well as key stakeholders.

Clr Titora urged tuck shop operators to take the time to approach the city’s health department to regularise their operations.
The move had been met with an outcry from one section of the residents who blamed council for being “inconsiderate given the prevailing hard economic conditions.”

Kwekwe Central legislator, Judith Tobaiwa took to social media soon after the notice to criticise council for not engaging stakeholders.

“I have noted with concern a circular by Kwekwe City Council threatening to demolish what they term illegal tuck shops and gas cages. As a law maker and an exemplary law-abiding citizen, I would like to see sanity in our town, but the move by the management is wrong considering the situation in our country. The situation would have been better resolved by engaging everyone and offering alternatives,” said the legislator.