Residents Take July Moyo To Court Over Renaming Of Streets
In an interesting development, Bulawayo residents have taken Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo to court challenging Government’s decision to rename some of the city’s street names as contained in Statutory Instrument 167/20.
Most of Bulawayo’s street names will be changed to honour a number of Zimbabwe’s heroes both living and dead being honoured. The majority of the street names will be renamed after President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) through their lawyers Job Sibanda and Associates, approached the High Court in Bulawayo challenging Minister Moyo’s approval of street name changes as contained in S1 167/20 under Names (Alterations) (Amendment of Schedule) Notice. They cited Minister Moyo and Bulawayo City Council (BCC) as respondents.
The residents want the High Court to declare Statutory Instrument 167/20 and the renaming of streets in Bulawayo as a nullity. They argue that Statutory Instrument 167/20 is in violation of some of the provisions of the Urban Councils Act.
July Moyo through the Civil Division in the Attorney General’s Office filed a notice of opposition at the Bulawayo High Court challenging the application.
In his opposing affidavit published by The Chronicle, Minister Moyo argued that proper procedures and consultations were done before the implementation of the renaming of streets as per Cabinet directive.
“The Cabinet at its 41st meeting discussed the issue of change of streets names within various local authorities countrywide. Section 4(2) of the Names Alteration Act provided that the Minister shall not alter the name of any public building, road or street except after consultation with the person in whom the ownership or control of the building, road or street is vested,” he said.
However, BPRA said some of the proposed name changes related to the streets that have been altered in terms of SI 167/20 despite council having made its own name proposals.
BPRA executive chairperson, Mr Ambrose Sibindi said Minister Moyo ignored the council proposals and came up with a list of names different from what was forwarded to him by BCC.
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