Bulawayo deputy mayor nabbed for bribery

Bulawayo deputy mayor and Ward 8 councillor Edwin Ndlovu and councillor Mpumelelo Moyo have been arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on bribery charges involving US$20 000.Ndlovu, a political beneficiary of self-imposed opposition CCC secretary-general and senator Sengezo Tshabangu’s arbitrary recalls of elected officials, and Moyo allegedly demanded US$20 000 from Labenmon Investments a bribe for facilitating approval of land to set up a cement mixing plant in the second-largest city.

This came after Tsitsi Mapfumo from Labenmon Investments made an application to the Bulawayo City Council for 10 hectares of land for a cement mixing plant in November 2023.

The application initially failed.

Labenmon Investments then re-submitted the application in April 2024 and was offered 5.6 hectares.

After Labenmon Investments received an offer letter, Ndlovu and Moyo allegedly approached Mapfumo demanding a reward of US$20 000 cash on behalf of other 20 councillorsfor facilitating the approval.

A report was subsequently made to ZACC leading to Ndlovu and Moyo’s arrest.

The two councillors are expected to appear at Tredgold Magistrate court tomorrow.

BACKGROUND

Interestingly, the application for the land was filed just as Ndlovu had been elected as the Bulawayo City Council deputy mayor.

That followed the recall of previous deputy mayor Donaldson Mabutho and other councillors by Tshabangu, the self-imposed secretary-general of the now captured opposition CCC formerly led by Nelson Chamisa.

Bulawayo City Council had held a special council meeting to elect a new deputy mayor in the aftermath of Tshabangu’s recalls.

Ndlovu ran for the position and won against Ward 3 councillor Mxolisi Mahlangu, Ward 23 Councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo, and Proportional Representation councillor Melisa Mabeza.