By-Two Zanu PF councillors from Ward 9 in Zaka District recently clashed over delivering a funeral speech.

Sitting councillor Livison Paradza felt threatened by fellow councillor Beauty Musunda who got into council through women’s quota after she gave a speech as councillor at a funeral.

ZANU PF Masvingo provincial chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa who is also a Zaka senator confirmed the development to TellZim News, saying he had received the matter and it was being handled. He said:

I am aware of the incident and we are handling the matter. We just encourage our members to work in harmony.

If the proportional representative wants to address people in any ward she has to notify the ward councillor who will mobilize people for her.

If there is an event and the sitting councillor is not there, she then has to notify the ward councillor and in her address, she has to tell the people that she is representing the ward councillor.

In an 11-minute audio leaked to TellZim News, Paradza is heard threatening Masunda with demotion for standing for him as councillor without his permission. Said Paradza:

I want to call Brian (Brian Munyoro the ZANU PF provincial commissar), you were there at the meeting, you were told, and we used our resources for you to be councillors so if you continue doing what you are doing I won’t tolerate that.

You cannot go and address a gathering without my knowledge, why didn’t you call me? You are women’s quota, so you address women.

Masunda tried to explain saying she spoke based on what was said by the MP Davies Marapira, but Paradza interrupted her, saying Marapira had no power to tell them what to do. He said:

Marapira has no power, who is he? We campaigned using our resources and if you dare I can apply to the party and tell them you are now growing big.

I am the councillor, I have a stamp and who are you, you are just a quota. If you go to any gathering and want to talk you have to tell the people that you are representing me.

Tomorrow, I want to apply and from today you are my enemy. You can’t have power like me.

For you to be a councillor it’s my resources, the party didn’t give me any resources.

You were given Wards 9, 13, 14, and 15, so does that mean you now have power over all those Wards?

You are not a councillor, I didn’t reply to Marapira because he was saying nothing, go and tell him that I have said that.

Paradza is a teacher at a local school and is one of those whose salaries were ceased after they contested on a ZANU PF ticket.