Zimpapers Logo

Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
Strong action is being taken against corruption at Chitungwiza Municipality, involving illegal parcelling out of residential stands on wetlands and the unsanctioned sale and leasing of council assets without Government approval, Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Harare Metropolitan Province Mr Tafadzwa Muguti said.

In an interview after the commissioning of service delivery vehicles in Chitungwiza last week, Mr Muguti said law enforcement agents will be tracking all shenanigans and bring all offenders to book.

“Corruption is rife at Chitungwiza Municipality. Back-dated stand offer letters have been produced by council employees to cover up for illegally parcelled stands.

“Council properties and assets are sacrosanct and as such must be jealously guarded. We have seen unsanctioned sale of such assets and leasing at sub market rates without Government approval. This should stop forthwith,”

Mr Muguti said. He urged the municipality to update its council asset register and sweat its assets to bring revenue to council.

Mr Muguti said the Government has put in place the ZIDA Act to facilitate public-private partnerships and as such no agreements should be entered into by Chitungwiza municipality without following the ZIDA Act and acquiring Cabinet approval.

“Development control has not been implemented in Chitungwiza municipality resulting in residents building on wetlands, under power-lines and on top of sewer pipelines.

“The development control department should wake up and start working. Commercial stands have mushroomed on road servitudes and verges and all these should be destroyed.

“There are no human rights when such perpetrators build on road servitudes hindering traffic flow and lives of motorists and pedestrians.”

Disorder precludes development, and as the Second Republic moves to attain an upper middle-class Income economy by 2030, people have a duty to ensure that buildings are approved and all council procedures have been followed.

“We also need to stop littering our environment. Very soon, my office will be launching a Green Fund to improve the aesthetics of our cities in Harare Metropolitan Province,” Mr Muguti said.