Faced with allegations of corruptly  contracting for the controversial Prepaid Water Metre gadgets, Bulawayo’s Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo yesterday snubbed residents and their associations after he had assured them that he was going to address their concerns.
The residents who last year successfully staged a demo, against the city council’s moves to install prepaid water metres, are now baying for the city father’s blood.
The mayor had also promised to address Bulawayo journalists before he once again abruptly cancelled the presser at the eleventh hour, thereby causing confusion, as more than 30 media practitioners had gathered for the Mayor’s address.
Bulawayo Press club chairman and Senior Journalist Pamenus Tuso complained, “I am disappointed by the mayor’s actions after we had prepared the event for more than two weeks. He even did not want to send a representative to stand in for him.”
Residents associations and civic organisations had also gathered at the press club to be addressed by the honourable mayor, who did not turn up.
Also in attendance were Roderick Fayayo, of the Bulawayo Progressive Residence Associations (BUPRA) and Jenny Williams of WOZA, who were representing the16 organisations that demonstrated against the council’s prepaid water metres.
Bulawayo residents have since resorted to fight the Council who they are accusing of trying to hide through prepaid water metres. “The council are now revealing their highest level of corruption, after they failed to address the community on the importance of the use of the gadget,” said Nonthando Ncube of Bulawayo residence Association.
“The Mayor has a private corrupt business, which he has corruptly entered into with some Harare guys. He has been evasive since the speculation of this deal has been doing the rounds in the council chambers. The Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo and some few corrupt councillors close to him have since coerced other community leaders into accepting his idea and passed a resolution without the concern of Bulawayo people,” said Tshabangu Dlodlo, a residents association committee member.
Asked to comment on why he cancelled the presser and also snubbing the residents, the mayor councillor Martin Moyo refused to shed light, referring this journalist to the City Council public Relations office for answers.