LUPANE residents have rejected the appointment of “outsiders” as caretakers at the Lupane Local Board (LLB) following the dismissal of two board members on charges of incompetence.
By NQOBANI NDLOVU
Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere recently appointed Lupane State University vice-chancellor Pardon Kuipa and district administrator, Enetty Sithole, as caretakers of the board.
Kuipa and Sithole were supposed to be sworn in yesterday, but the Lupane Rural Communities Empowerment Trust (RUCET) protested, arguing that the posts should have been given to locals.
“While we commend the ouster of the two former commissioners over incompetence, we feel that he (Kasukuwere) should have replaced them with the locals, who are well-versed with developmental needs of the town,” RUCET co-ordinator Vumani Nldovu said.
“We sorely believe the minister was supposed to consult the locals before making the appointments.
“Had he consulted us before, he was not even going to make the blunder of appointing the two businessmen that he sacked on the basis of gross incompetence.”
David Nyathi, a Lupane resident said: “When we advocated strongly for devolution in our Constitution, it was our belief that development can only be facilitated and accelerated by locals.
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“Locals know our aspirations, vision, our past, our fears, our culture and indeed our geography.
“Such appointments are an affront to the principles of devolution. This is unacceptable in a democratic society.”
Sithole said she was unaware that her appointment was being challenged by residents.
“I am in the dark about that,” she said.
Kasukuwere and Kuipa were unreachable for comment.
Leonard Moyo and Addie Mpofu were recently fired for incompetence.
