Chinhoyi– A special full council meeting descended into chaos on Friday, culminating in the ejection of Ward 7 Councillor Arnold Muronga.

Sources privy to the development allege that Muronga has since accused the town’s mayor of running a “strong man” operation designed to silence dissent and shield corrupt land deals.

The incident occurred during discussions on Agenda Item 9, which addressed the Works and Planning Committee report. Following the meeting, Muronga raised a question regarding “partial compliance” granted to land developers, specifically citing resident complaints over a lack of proper roads, water, and sewage connections in new developments.

According to a WhatsApp message posted in one of the groups but which was later deleted, Muronga claims that the ceremonial Mayor, Councillor Owen Charuza, took issue with the line of questioning. The Mayor allegedly suggested Muronga was failing to understand the matter and should defer it. When Muronga persisted in seeking clarity, the Mayor’s demeanor allegedly turned unprofessional, accusing the young councillor of “pointing fingers” and admonishing him to “be mindful of [his] youth.”

Mayor Charuza confirmed ejecting Muronga and said he was not being progressive.

“The matter he was raising had been deliberated and agreed upon by a whole committee and he knows what to do if not in agreement,” he confirmed to this reporter.

But in the WhatsApp message Muronga insisted that everything that he did was above board and did not warrant his expulsion.

“We are all elected representatives with equal rights to seek information,” Muronga stated.

According to the message, Muronga alleged that the Mayor instructed individuals he referred to as “his goons” to physically expel him from the chamber.

This is not an isolated incident, according to Muronga. He cited previous ejections of councillors Voster Mashevedzanwa and Innocent Mangwanya, as well as a separate incident involving Ignatius Zvigadza that nearly resulted in a physical fight. Muronga characterized the behavior as a “concerning trend” by the Mayor to “whip and bully opposing voices,” alleging it is a tactic to protect specific land developers.

“My argument is simple, we need a culture of debate, interrogation, and fairness. We are never in council to rubber stamp murky deals that are passed via the back door without being scrutinized,” Muronga’s statement reads. “Chambers are for the minds and ideas, not muscles. What happened today was a clear continuity of strong man operations. The mayor is unhinged and is becoming stronger than council, and I am no longer happy to serve under such unruly leadership.”

Muronga has vowed to take the matter to the judiciary, assuring his Ward 7 constituents that he will pursue the issue until “justice is served.” He reaffirmed his commitment to advocating for transparency and improved service delivery.

Mayor Charuza said the allegations of misconduct on his part were baseless.