Chombo Accused Of Destroying Councils.

In a letter to the City council, in possession of RadioVOP Chombo wrote, “Herewith find the fees to members of the Board of Inquiry in terms of section 311(8) of the Urban Council’s Act Chapter 29:15, Mr. F.Chikovo (Chairperson) USD 7 000, C. Chuma USD 4 000, E. Pise USD 4 000, D Dzvuke USD 4 000, L. Gopozah USD 4 000. Please effect payment.”

The Investigation team was sent to Gweru after the Gweru Urban Residents Association (GURA) had written to the Ministry alleging that there was mismanagement, corruption and abuse of office at the City council.
However the Gweru City Mayor, Tedious Chimombe said council would not afford to pay such exorbitant fees at a time that most councils are financially unstable.
 “We are unable to pay 23 000dollars as directed by the Minister. It is unfortunate that the Minister directs us to pay that ridiculous amount at a time that we are failing to pay our own employees of city of Gweru,” the mayor complained.

The city council says they are shocked by Chombo’s directive as they have already made payments to the team as directed by a letter received by council from the secretary of the Investigating team on behalf of the Secretary for Local Government, Rural and urban development dated May 26.
 “As council we paid about USD $9000 already to the team for accommodation, fuel, and subsistence allowances. We have already pumped out a lot of money at the expense of service delivery and welfare of our workers,” Chimombe protested.

RadioVOP is informed that the team which conducted investigations between 29May and June 04 has not availed the results of the investigations to the city fathers despite the directive that they be paid again.

The Minister who has been on a collision with most urban town councils most which are led by the MDC has also instructed the MDC T led council to reinstate fired former Chamber Secretary Richard Masinire.

Masinire was fired from council in March this year after an investigative team that comprised of a provincial magistrate, a senior lawyer in Gweru, three councilors and an official from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions found him guilty of corruption.