Correspondent|MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa on Sunday called upon councillors, of which his party controls over 80 per cent in urban areas, to prioritise service delivery.

Chamisa made the call while addressing a bumper crowd that assembled at Mkoba stadium in the Midlands capital, Gweru, on Sunday. The high turnout was in spite of the excessive temperatures that have been prevailing over the past few days.

Said Chamisa: “Councillors, don’t be corrupt; don’t deny stands to residents; we want timely refuse collection and we don’t want crazy rates.

“We want our people to have a quality life and quality services in their communities. We must demonstrate that we are an alternative.”

Only last month, Masvingo residents threatened to go and stage a sit-in at the Masvingo City Council offices in attempts to force the ouster of two MDC councillors accused of corruption.

Ward four and five councillors Godfrey Kurauone and Daniel Mberikunashe, who retained their seats in the July 2018 elections, stood accused of withdrawing $800 each from council coffers ostensibly to attend an Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) workshop last year.

The two failed to attend the purported event and instead, went on to use the money to sponsor their party activities in Chiredzi and Mwenezi, during a tour of Masvingo province by MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa.

The Ministry of Local Government was notified of the acts and sources at the local authority said nothing pointing to an investigation or disciplinary action has emerged from authorities.

MDC Councillors in Gweru and Kwekwe have also been accused of corruption, just less then half a year after being voted into office.