For Harare Ward 4 Councillor, Martin Sunungukai Matinyanya, his five year term at Town House will not be a walk in the park. If anything, it is going to be a journey to hell and back though he insists he is ready for the challenge the people of Mbare bestowed on him in the just ended local government elections.
Councillor Matinyanya is the only councillor, out of 46 others, from the Zanu-PF in a house dominated by MDC Alliance members which makes him the black sheep of the “family”
However, the man says he is not losing sleep over that as he plans to execute his duties diligently and without considering the political hostility he is likely to face.
“You could see that there were people who came to cheer me up when I was being sworn in. Those are the people that matter and I will make sure I deliver according to their needs.
“I am a resident of Mbare and I want it to develop it into a better suburb. I’m promising them better service delivery.
“While I acknowledge that I’m the only Zanu-PF councillor in this council that should not stop me from working hard. The moment I step on these premises, it means its now serious business so as to improve service delivery,” said Matinyanya who took no time to encourage residence to pay up their rates.
“The good thing about council is that once we get into this house, we leave politics outside and focus on issues that affect people. Just like what we used to do during the previous term, I will work with them in harmony,” he said.
But how does he plan to transform Mbare into a modern location?
Matinyanya says, “When we were campaigning, the VP (Vice President Constantino Chiwenga) emphasized that we have a plan for Mbare so that it becomes a better location. So we will be engaging relevant stakeholders whom we will work with.”
“Our immediate plan of action is to improve sewer reticulation services. We want the Mbare flats to have a good sewer system to curb water borne diseases. We also want to install electricity cables so that those houses which do not have power, can have that,” Matinyanya said.
On corruption, he pledged zero tolerance against the scourge that has ruined economies of most African countries.
“We want to make sure that all culprits who are caught on the wrong side of the law are dealt with. We will be working with the committee set up by ED (President Emmerson Mnangagwa) to bring those perpetrators to book.
“It is now time for people in Ward for to have the development they so deserve and that cannot work out if we have corruption,” he said.
However, the new CoH administration has a huge task to take Harare to its former glory days.
A threatening water crisis, poor state of roads, ballooning debts and uncontrolled vending among others are some of the challenges that the newly sworn councillors will be expected to face head on.
