Tribunal to preside over Chitungwiza rot Minister Kasukuwere
Minister Kasukuwere

Minister Kasukuwere

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter—
Government is set to appoint a tribunal to preside over a hearing into allegations against 25 Chitungwiza councillors, including the mayor Mr Phillip Mutoti, who allegedly allocated themselves tracts of land worth over $7 million. Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has since suspended the councillors and appointed a three-member commission led by retired civil servant Mr Madzudzo Pawadyira.

The commission is instructed to clean up the rot in the municipality.
Chitungwiza has 14 MDC-T councillors, including Mr Mutoti and 11 from Zanu-PF.

An internal audit showed that councillors and officials allocated themselves commercial and institutional stands for a song.

The councillors were given seven days to respond after they were summoned by Minister Kasukuwere, together with management, to answer to the charges.

Minister Kasukuwere yesterday said all the councillors had proffered defence outlines and the ministry was in the process of studying the responses.

“They have all given their responses,” he said. “The Ministry is now studying each individual’s charges against the responses. The Ministry will then proceed to set up a tribunal in terms of the law.”

According to procedure, invitations will be dispersed to councillors on scheduled days to come and present themselves to the tribunal and normally they are given seven days in advance.

The tribunal is supposed to operate within 45 days of its appointment.

In suspending the councillors, Minister Kasukuwere said the municipality was plagued by poor governance, negligible service delivery and outright corruption.

The municipality serves a population of nearly half a million.

Minister Kasukuwere said from the poor management exhibited, he had no alternative, but to take stern measures which should bring the municipality into line with norms and standards of sound local governance.

He said the caretaker council would ensure long-standing housing stand conflicts were resolved and transparency in the allocation of houses and service provision.

Mr Pawadyira last week said Chitungwiza councillors and officials drove the municipality into bankruptcy through illegal land sales, as land in the dormitory town had become “a free for all”. The bankrupt council owes various creditors, including statutory obligations of more than $62 million, while the local authority is owed $49 million by residents, business and Government departments.

According to an internal audit, human resources manager Mary Mukonyora got 8,41 hectares, Cllr Simbiso Mhike (8,413ha), Cllr Nicholas Mashayamombe (3,839ha) and Clr Charamba Mlambo (46 stands).

Other councillors also benefited from the looting spree.

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