The Standard

8 The Standard September 28 to October 4 2014
Local News
Mayor refuses
ride in the
gravy train
By BLESSED MHLANGA
HOW many people, upon
landing a lucrative
job, would turn down
a brand new US$68
000 Double Cab Toyota
D4D offered by the employer?
Probably none.
The majority of us would welcome
such a top-of-the-range vehicle,
which would naturally earn
us a few glances from curious admirers,
but for Matenda Madzoke,
the mayor of Kwekwe, the vehicle
was a sheer waste of ratepayers’
money.
In a rare show of humility, Madzoke
refused to accept the official
mayoral vehicle and instead opted
to have the money, which had already
been paid to acquire it, purchase
two refuse collection trucks.
Council had already deposited
US$30 000 with Croco Motors
and was awaiting delivery of the
brand new wheels, but the city
could not persuade him to ride in
wheels that mark one’s status in
the society.
Madzoke would have been allowed
to own it as part of his
package after five years of service
at the helm of Kwekwe City Council,
like what happened with his
predecessors.
“I am no better than anyone
in this great city and therefore
should not pamper myself with
the money earned by the sweat
of Kwekwe residents when refuse
is piling in their homes, potholes
are opening up everywhere and
the city is struggling to pay workers,”
said Madzoke.
Elected councillor on a Zanu
PF ticket, Madzoke stands out in
his party for refusing to be pampered
using hard-pressed ratepayers’
money at the expense of service
delivery in a country where
political players are known for
their penchant for expensive cars
and luxury.
United Nations Development Programme
Kwekwe mayor Matenda Madzoke. Picture: Nehanda Radio
A reverend at Christ Apostolic
Church Worldwide Revelation,
Madzoke, who owns his own fleet
of cars but sometimes chooses to
ride to his office and around town
on a bicycle, said teachings from
his church were also instrumental
in the decision not to accept
the car.
“I can say the teachings from
my church were influential in the
decision I made, apart from the
fact that I am not a politician but
a civic leader who has a heart to
serve the people ahead of my own
interests.
“Our church has unique teaching
because we are taught to serve
the people first before we take
care of our own interests and you
Empowered lives.
Resilient Nations
would agree with me that getting
myself a top-of-the-range vehicle
at this time would be against this
teaching,” he said.
Madzoke has also clashed with
council management who have
been looking to spend nearly
US$200 000 on luxury vehicles for
top management.
An initial attempt to purchase a
US$120 000 worth Toyota Prado for
the Town Clerk Emanuel Musara
had to be shelved after a tender
for its purchase had already been
flighted. Now Musara is pushing
to get a US$68 000 Chevrolet, while
the other four mangers are also in
the hunt.
Council has refused to endorse
a resolution for the purchase of
the vehicles, saying they are too
expensive for the cash-strapped
local authority which is now owed
US$20 million by government and
ratepayers.
“You will see that the nation is
facing serious economic challenges
and Kwekwe is not an exception
and it will be insensitive for us to
dole out such huge amounts of
money on management when we
are failing to provide the basic service
delivery for the ratepayers,”
said Madzoke.
Despite leading a council with
seven Zanu PF councillors and
an equal number from the MDC-
T, Madzoke has won the support
of MDC-T councillors who believe
he is miles ahead of former mayors.
“He allows debate to flow
smoothly and when he sits in the
mayor’s chair, you won’t know
if he his Zanu PF or MDC. Madzoke
has managed to keep us focused
on the growth of Kwekwe
and its people instead of getting
involved in petty political fights,”
said MDC-T councillor Weston
Masiya.
The mayor said his job is made
easier because he is not a politician
but just a civic leader whose
main role is to facilitate development
of Kwekwe on behalf of its
owners.
“I am grateful that the councillors
easily bought my vision, it
might be true that we were sponsored
by our political parties into
office but we are here to serve the
people, not parties. Kwekwe is our
subject, it is not owned by councillors
or their political parties
but by residents, some who don’t
even care about the political parties
that gave birth to us and they
should be protected and served,”
he said.
Married to Clara Madzoke née
Green since 1990, the couple is
blessed with 12 children, four boys
and eight girls. Madzoke, who still
looks youthful, says he might not
be running for office again.
“I think I will just have to do my
best now and leave it for others
to take their place in the development
of this town,” he said.
Madzoke may quit the mayoral
office when his terms expires,
but he will surely go down in history
as the mayor who stood his
ground against looting of the few
resources available in the city and
for striving to make council accountable
to the ratepayers.
Madzoke, an electrical engineer
by profession, owns and runs one
of Kwekwe’s leading electrical
companies called Birdale Electrical
Services and is also involved
in farming.
“These two businesses are the
ones which ensure I manage to
take care of my family and therefore
I don’t look at council to earn
a living,” he said.
When he is not riding his bicycle,
Madzoke goes around in a
double cab Isuzu KB280D while
his other posh cars are normally
used by his wife.
“I believe I should treat my wife
like a queen, she is the pillar of
my strength and most of the times
she takes a leading role to ensure I
dispatch my civic duties effectively.
She is gifted.”
As his parting shot, Madzoke
told The Standard that he had realised
that children in most council
schools in Kwekwe were suffering
from hunger and some
were fainting during class.
“I am going to have a meeting
with farmers in this city so that
we can feed these children, the situation
is pathetic and my hope is
that as farmers, we will be able
to help ensure they get porridge
when they come to school in the
morning,” he said.
Matenda Madzoke . . . refused to take delivery of an expensive car