BY BRENNA MATENDERE
KWEKWE is mulling naming one of its streets after the late main opposition MDC founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, after councillors moved a motion at a recent full council meeting.
The development will come barely three weeks after the roads department of Kwekwe erected a sign-post to rename Robert Mugabe Way to Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Street.
Deputy mayor Shadreck Tobaiwa yesterday confirmed to Southern Eye that a motion had been moved by the councillors at the last full council meeting held on February 8 for one of the streets to be named after Tsvangirai.
“We expect a resolution to regularise the naming of one of our streets after Morgan Richard Tsvangirai to be made at our next full council meeting expected at the end of this month. The proposal or motion to that regard was made at our last council meeting and it was unanimously adopted by the councillors. No councillor opposed the proposal. So, if nothing disturbs, we are set to put down a resolution on our next council meeting since the item will formally be on the agenda,” he said.
Tobaiwa said the councillors felt that the late Tsvangirai played a key role in nation-building, unity and development of the country during his lifetime, hence the need for him to be honoured by Kwekwe.
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“I cannot really divulge more details regarding which street exactly we are going to rename after the late MDC president Tsvangirai or how we are going to do it, but I can confirm it’s work in progress,” said Tobaiwa, who was the mayor of Kwekwe between 2008 and 2018 only to pass on the baton to councillor Angeline Kasipo after the last general elections.
Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya (MDC Alliance) said Tsvangirai deserved the honour by the people of Kwekwe.
“Morgan Richard Tsvangirai is a doyen of democracy and has shaped the political space as it exists today. Streets are named after people who have contributed to the political and socio-economic development of our country. Morgan Tsvangirai is a perfect candidate and in my individual capacity and representative capacity, I will second the naming of a street, in particular the First Street of Kwekwe, after Tsvangirai, the iconic father of democracy in recent times,” he said.
MDC deputy spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said: “Morgan Tsvangirai deserves to be honoured for his patriotism and for his service to this country. The song ‘Dollar for two yakauya naTsvangirai’, which Zimbabweans across the country still sonorously sing is a testament to his legacy … so I am heartened when a council decides to name a street after this great man.
“Some of the streets have actually been given names of murderers, people who have killed innocent Zimbabweans, but Tsvangirai was a different breed. His name deserves to be immortalised.”
Mutare councillors have also made a similar proposal.