Epworth residents declare war on Minister July Moyo

Local Government minister July Moyo could face a massive protest from Epworth residents if he does not respond to their petition over rampant graft bedeviling the responsible local body.

Residents in the satellite town recently petitioned Minister Moyo, through their association, voicing concerns over allegedly rampant graft blamable on the Epworth Local Board.

Peter Nyapetwa who is the Epworth Residents Development Association (ERDA) coordinator, said ratepayers’ groupings in the area have coalesced to speak with one voice against the perversion of the town’s original plan for corrupt ends.

This, Nyapetwa said, has now resulted in some local authority staffers living large at the expense of the environment.

“Epworth residents are fed up with the bad governance and corruption that is bleeding our town, environment and livelihoods. The corruption is so bad at the Local Board that even a newly employed general worker now owns a house, vehicle and business within a short period of time because of the corrupt dealings,” Nyapetwa said.

“If the honourable Minister July Moyo doesn’t respond, we are going to march, it’s not a threat but our position as residents,” he echoed.

Epworth is faced with agonising land degradation amid concerns that the Local Board has been working in cahoots with some land barons to corruptly parcel out land.

Residents recently raised concern after the local board defied the Government by breaching Section 219 of the Urban Councils Acts by implementing foreign currency charges for services.

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Additional Reporting: Zwnews