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Chitown feels betrayed over Magaya ‘donation’

He added that the proposed agreement bars Council from applying Public Procurement and Corporate Act.

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Chra spokeperson Gift Kurupati

CHITUNGWIZA residents have expressed their anger over a controversial deal that, if approved, seeks to mortgage the town for 10 years to Wistmer Investments (Pvt) Ltd, Prophet Walter Magayaโ€™s company.

Residents are not happy with the contents of a leaked Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Chitungwiza and Wistmer Investments and feel betrayed by their councilors who are making such critical decisions without consulting them.

The MOA seeks the establishment of a collaborative relationship between Council and Wistmer for the preparation of the Chitungwiza Master Plan.

According to the MOA which is in possession of ZCN, if the deal goes through Wistmer shall enjoy โ€œan exclusive and irrevocable Right of First Refusal to participate as the lead private partner for any Smart City Projects the Municipality intends to implement; and exclusive development rights to solely undertake Smart City Projects for an initial period of 10 years from the date of this Agreementโ€.

A lawyer who is a resident in the town said that if the deal comes through in that form Chitungwiza Municipality  will be under the control and management of Magaya for 10 years.

He added that the proposed agreement bars Council from applying Public Procurement and Corporate Act.

 In other words this agreement supersedes Tendering procedures, also there are no commercial terms that clearly state what it is for Chitungwiza Municipality. Therein lies the catch, and its deliberate.

โ€œMagayaโ€™s company can demand as much land and or payments as he wants if they so wish and council can do nothing about it because there are no restrictions.

โ€œWistmer is the sole developer, no one else, not even council. Should council have its own Master Plan and Smart City concept it has to pass it to Magayaโ€™s company first for ratification?

โ€œHe will demand his pound of flesh emanating from this agreement and can sit on it for 120 days deciding to refuse to give the municipality the go ahead.

Chitungwiza Progressive Residents Association spokesperson Gift Kurupati said the councillors  were no longer representing the interests of residents.

โ€œWe as Residents of Chitungwiza we are not happy about what is happening at Chitungwiza municipality, giving Wistmer Investments the right of first refusal would be an act of madness as Residents

Chitungwiza municipality is a public institution but they want privatize it through this MOA with Wistmer Investments actually what it means is the whole Chitungwiza municipality is now owned by Wistmer Investments

 Outspoken residents leader Marvellous Kumalo said that residents  have written a letter as stakeholders to council raising their concerns on the contents of that proposed memorandum.

Kumalo said that have also sent a copy of the MOA to lawyers for legal advise  and flag out issues of legal concern that are in that MOA

โ€œWe have gone through the proposed Memorandum of Agreement, the contents are shocking, and they are disgusting and are actually smelling in terms of the proposals from that private partner.

What we will also do is to be guided by the provisions of section 14 of the constitution which speaks to devolution of power and responsibility to lower tiers of governmentโ€

Kumalo said such issues are handled by councillors and residents will not accept a situation where the local authority hands over or surrenders its authority to central government.

 โ€œWhere in terms of every time we reach out to them in terms of being accountable and transparency then they introduce a hidden hand through surrendering their powers and responsibilities to central government and failing to account. That will not intimidate stakeholders.

The Chitungwiza Almalgated Vendors and Informal Traders Association has called for an urgent meeting with council to discuss the matter and explore potential solutions that prioritise all the parties involved

A well-placed source said that council officials are also worried about the way in which the

โ€œThis began as a donation, now some of the demands from Magayaโ€™s company are too much.โ€

โ€œAt this stage, this is only an MOA,   we appeal to residents to be patient with us as we are working flat out to address the sticking points in this document.

Efforts to get a comment from Prophet Walter Magaya were fruitless at the time of going to print.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Justice

    April 10, 2024 at 6:11 am

    Chitungwiza does not belong to a private organization it’s a community municipality.
    The community must be considered.

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DUNGWIZA NEWS

CHITUNGWIZA MUNICIPALITY 510TH ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING ROUND UP

Speaking during the 510th Ordinary Council meeting held on 25 August 2026 in the Council Chamber, Her Worship said the town must be well-planned and organised.

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Mayor Mangoma: Illegal Truck Stops in Units C and J Must Go

BY Dungwiza News Reporter

CHITUNGWIZA mayor councillor Rosaria Mangoma recently raised concern over the mushrooming of undesignated truck stops and illegal car parks in Units C, J and other roadsides.

Speaking during the 510th Ordinary Council meeting held on 25 August 2026 in the Council Chamber, Her Worship said the town must be well-planned and organised.

She urged relevant departments to act on illegal truck stops and car parks, saying municipal land must be properly managed at a time Council is struggling with low revenue collection while many revenue streams remain unexplored.

The meeting was chaired by Her Worship, with acting town clerk Japson Nemuseso in attendance.

#DungwizaNews #Chitungwiza #MayorMangoma #IllegalTruckStops #ServiceDelivery

๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐“๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง-๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐‡๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ž๐ญ ๐‚๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐Œ๐ž๐ž๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ โ€” ๐‚๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐œ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐š๐ฆ๐ž ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐œ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง

BY Dungwiza News Reporter

COUNCILLORS have blasted their management staff over poor communication that led to low turnout at recent consultative budget meetings.

The issue was raised during the 510th Ordinary Council meeting on 25 August 2026.

Councillor Gylord   Chenjera questioned whether the meetings were successful, saying he observed very low turnout.

Acting town clerk Japson Nemuseso admitted meetings were scheduled but attendance was poor and below expectations.

Councillors  Watmore Muchairi, Agatha Mujati, and Peter Clever Matiringe said there was no proper hailing done and messages were only circulated in WhatsApp groups on the morning of the meetings.

They also raised concerns over distance of venues which disadvantaged the elderly, and language barrier.

Cllr Matiringe called for messages to be communicated in vernacular.

Council agreed that ward-based meetings should be considered, councillors and ward development committees should be more involved, and the acting public relations officer must improve timely communication. Council will also consider providing refreshments at feedback meetings. #DungwizaNews #Chitungwiza #BudgetConsultations #PublicParticipation

๐€๐ฎ๐๐ข๐ญ ๐‘๐ž๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐„๐ฑ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฌ ๐Œ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐’๐ž๐ฐ๐ž๐ซ ๐‘๐จ๐๐ฌ โ€” ๐”๐ฌ๐ž๐ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐š๐ญ๐ž ๐‰๐จ๐›๐ฌ

By Dungwiza News Reporter

A heated debate erupted in Council over missing sewer rods.

According to Audit and Risk Committee recommendations tabled at the 510th Ordinary Council meeting, supervision must be improved, sewer rods should be branded in Councilโ€™s name, and broken rods must be surrendered to stores.

Chitungwiza deputy mayor Cllr Edmore Muringa said the Sewer Section had no rods to use, yet workers were being seen with rods doing private jobs.

Councillors agreed that branding at point of manufacture and through infrared light should be explored, and that supervisors must keep a proper register.

Council resolved to adopt the audit monthly report for July 2026.

#DungwizaNews #Chitungwiza #AuditReport #SewerRods #Accountability

ZINARA ๐…๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ฌ s๐ญ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ โ€” c๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐œ๐ข๐ฅ f๐š๐ข๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ a๐œ๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ, m๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฌ ๐Ÿ‘ d๐ข๐ฌ๐›๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ

By Dungwiza News Reporter

Chitungwiza Municipality has not received any ZINARA disbursements this year because it failed to acquit previous funds.

This emerged during the 510th Ordinary Council meeting on 25 August 2026. Her Worship Mayor cllr Rosaria Mangoma bemoaned that Council should receive three disbursements per year but had received nothing to date.

The delay was caused by change of procurement from employing extra Public Works workers and a vehicle to prioritising tipper trucks, which required lengthy approvals.

Councillors also clashed with Procurement over tipper truck delivery.

Only one truck had been delivered out of two promised, and it was delivered unbranded.

Councillors Mujati and Chitembwe demanded urgent delivery, branding, and accountability.

Council resolved that Works must expedite acquittals of ZINARA funds.

#DungwizaNews #Chitungwiza #ZINARA #TipperTrucks #Procurement

๐‚๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐œ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ƒ๐จ๐ง๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ฌ ๐”๐’$๐Ÿ“๐ŸŽ0 ๐ญ๐จ ๐„๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฒ๐ž๐ž ๐–๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ž ๐‡๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ž ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐ญ

By Dungwiza News Reporter

Chitungwiza Municipality will assist Mrs Sibongile Mudzingwa, a Council employee whose house was destroyed by fire, with US$500.

The resolution was passed during the 510th Ordinary Council meeting on 25 August 2026 following a motion by Councillor Mashonganyika, seconded by Cllr Chenjera and Cllr Pewula.

The meeting ended at 18:43 pm. 16 councillors were absent who had tendered apologies

.#DungwizaNews #Chitungwiza #CouncilCompassion #SibongileMudzingwa

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DUNGWIZA NEWS

Chitown Ward 24 Cllr Matsika dismisses claims he backs Jambanja Market demolition

‘Unfortunately, councils operate through resolutions and as an individual, I hold no power to veto any decision arrived at through a majority decision. I have no authority as an individual councillor to halt a Ministerial directive;

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By Dungwiza News Reporter

CHITUNGWIZA ward 24 Councillor Obert Matsika has broken his silence over accusations that he is siding with the government’s latest directive to demolish illegal vending structures under Operation Chenesa Harare.

Some vendors at Jambanja Market in his ward, reportedly aligned to Zanu PF, have been circulating messages on social media accusing the councillor of supporting the planned destruction of the stalls.

In a statement issued on 26 September 2026 and seen by Dungwiza News, Cllr Matsika said the messages are false, defamatory and laced with hate speech and political malice.

“I have noted with concern some messages circulating on various social media platforms falsely attacking and defaming my character as the Councillor of Ward 24 in Chitungwiza.

โ€œI appeal to Ward 24 residents, stakeholders and the general citizenry to ignore these misleading messages with connotations of hate speech, politically motivated malice and attacks,” Matsika said.

Matsika said he represents all residents in Ward 24, including informal traders, and sympathises with vendors targeted under Operation Chenesa Harare.

He revealed that he was raised by a family of informal traders who paid for his school fees through vending, and that he himself has been a product of Jambanja Market since 2008.

“It pains me to look back and not associate with this market that brought me this far. It is against this background that I will never incite the destruction of market stalls.”

The councillor said that Operation Chenesa Harare is not a Chitungwiza Municipality initiative, but a central government directive being implemented by all local authorities in Harare Metropolitan Province.

“Unfortunately, councils operate through resolutions and as an individual, I hold no power to veto any decision arrived at through a majority decision. I have no authority as an individual councillor to halt a Ministerial directive,” he said.

“Operation Chenesa Harare is a central government directive and is being implemented by all the local authorities in the Harare Metropolitan Province. It is therefore disheartening that some partisan and myopic individuals are spreading falsehoods and hate speech and dragging my name into a process that emanated from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.โ€

Matsika said he has a soft spot for informal traders at Jambanja and wants a stakeholder-driven solution and reorganisation of vending in the town, rather than destruction.

He noted that informal traders occupy a strategic position in the economy and contribute immensely to the economic development of Zimbabwe.

As a member of Chitungwiza Council’s Small and Medium Enterprises Committee, Matsika said he will continue advocating for the recognition, reorganisation and improvement of the welfare of all informal traders.

Government last week announced a fresh crackdown on illegal vending structures in Harare Metropolitan Province, a move that has triggered anxiety among thousands of informal traders in Chitungwiza who depend on markets like Jambanja for survival.

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Community News

BRRA sets bar high in community development

‘Every action has consequences, and the journey to building robust and resilient communities is never easy. But we must embark on it nonetheless.’

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By ALBERT MASAKA

THE Borrowdale Residents and Ratepayers Association (BRRA) is scaling new heights in building a brighter community for futureย generations in ward 18 with ambitious plans to upgrade the local council clinic into a state-of-the-art medical facility, construct a modern recreational facility, and develop further its waste separation centre commissioned today.

The Borrowdale Residents and Ratepayers Association (BRRA) chairman Robert Mutyasira said this today at the official handover ceremony of three community projects to the City of Harare.

These projects include a newly constructed bus stop and shelter along Crowhill Road at the Helensvale Business Centre, a beautifully manicured garden to enhance the area’s aesthetic appeal, the development of a waste separation centre and the upgrade of Borrowdale Clinic.

Mutyasira highlighted the importance of community development in nation-building at a ceremony officiated by a represanataive of the Minister of Provincial Affairs, Harare Metropolitan Province Senator Charles Tavengwa and attended by Hrare East MP Kiven Mutimbanyoka.

“Community development precedes national development,” he said.

“It’s the fundamental building block in transforming an entire nation. Unless we take deliberate action to own and develop our communities, we’re on a path to failure.”

Mutyasiri said these initiatives align with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s  mantra, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” (the country is built by its owners).

He added, “Every action has consequences, and the journey to building robust and resilient communities is never easy. But we must embark on it nonetheless.”

He reminded residents in his ward who had been lured by the ambience, aesthetics, order ย and decorumย  associated with ward 18, that all this was a result of the work done by his predecessors

โ€œThe affluence associated with the suburbs of this ward was not imposed, it was not created at Town House, it was at one time an agenda, a vision and a burden of like-minded individuals.โ€

Harare mayor Jacob Mafume represented by  councillor Stanley Manyanga, applauded the collaboration between the two service delivery organisations.

โ€œTo the Borrowdale Residents and Ratepayers Association: from the bottom of my heart thank you, You have set a new standard for civic engagement, You have shown us that when residents and council work together ย nothing is impossible, you are not just part of the city, you areย  engine of its progress.”

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