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Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Correspondent
Harare City Council is recruiting 52 workers and has budgeted $10 million as part of its efforts to fight against Covid-19.

The money will also be used for hiring vehicles for use by Covid-19 teams.

The local authority has since advertised the posts.

According to recent council minutes, the city advised that it would “avail $10 million for the prevention and response to Covid-19”.

Harare said the money would be used on Covid-19 related expenses, which are the recruitment of staff and hiring vehicles directly involved in fighting the pandemic.

Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has warned that disease outbreaks should not be used as an opportunity for financial mismanagement on the allocation of tenders.

CHRA also implored the local authority to be proactive and develop a disaster risk reduction plan (DRR) and make budgetary provisions for the plan, especially in a city that has perennial problems with waterborne diseases.

“Harare City Council should develop a disaster risk reduction plan and disaster preparedness budgeting that is essential to curb pandemics,” said CHRA.

CHRA said the emergence of Covid-19 has pushed the city to review its budget due to the absence of a disaster risk reduction plan and a supporting budget.

Harare spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme said the response to Covid-19 was a more urgent matter.

“It is a choice between life and death, and our choice is life,” he said.