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Lovemore Meya Herald Correspondent
Government yesterday deployed a team of technocrats to Chitungwiza to help save council from collapse. The technocrats are from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing. The development comes a week after President Mugabe used his Presidential Powers to stop the auctioning of Chitungwiza Municipality property by creditors.

Principal director in the ministry, Mrs Erica Jones, yesterday took the a five-member team to Chitungwiza where they held a closed door meeting that lasted for two hours.

Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Engineer George Mlilo told The Herald the team would assist council in dealing with its problems.

“We have sent a backup team to come up with a way forward for Chitungwiza,” said Eng Mlilo.

“It is a back-up team assigned by Government to assist Chitungwiza to address their challenges. This team is not going to occupy any positions but they have certain skills. These people are to assist in six disciplines that include engineering, accounts, planning, legal and finance,” he said. “This team is only there to assist and are not taking over from anybody. Again, they are not on council payroll but are Government civil servants who were asked to do that.”

Asked if the deployment was a sign the caretaker commission had failed, Eng Mlilo said the commissioners were standing in for councillors.

“The commissioners are standing in as councillors because all the councillors were suspended. So the commissioners are now deciding and making policy issues but these are technical people meant to help those people who deal with water issues, planning and refuse collection, among others.”

Documents in The Herald’s possession on the deployment outline how the ministry intends to turn around the fortunes of Chitungwiza. There are suggestions for the recruitment of students from colleges and university on attachment basis.

“Should any Rapid Intervention Team member require extra human resources from the ministry, they should negotiate same from the head of department. The use of students on attachment is encouraged for work that is within their capacity. The council has a focal person who can seek assistance from local universities and the polytech and the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education has been alerted to the possibility of requests for assistance from Chitungwiza,” reads the documents.

Chitungwiza Municipality has been failing to provide basic services to residents for years. Corruption and maladminstration have been cited as some of the reasons for service collapse. Its town clerk, Mr George Makunde, has since been suspended.