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Blessings Chidakwa in Kadoma
KADOMA City councillors and senior management have come under fire, amid revelations of demanding laptops and pocketing thousands of dollars for school fees allowances at the expense of service delivery.

The senior managers are reportedly pocketing at least $3 000 as school fees allowance while the rest of junior employees are getting a paltry $140.

The local authority is also under pressure from workers and expecting mothers after neglecting a generator at its maternity clinic in Rimuka, forcing nurses to resort to candles and cellphones for lighting for delivering babies during periods when there is load-shedding.

An MDC-Alliance councillor, who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity, blasted fellow councillors for demanding laptops at a time the city was cash-strapped and battling service delivery.

“During our last full council meeting some fellow councillors were demanding laptops, yet our council is failing to repair a generator at Rimuka maternity ward,” said the source. “The motive for some of us being in office becomes questionable, amassing wealth at the expense of residents, surprisingly less than half of us know how to operate the gadget.” Kadoma City Council mayor Alderman Nyamukondiwa and Town Clerk Mr Malvern Dondo both refused to be drawn into the matter of school fees allowances, but the workers’ committee has since expressed its concern over the matter.

“It is with great pleasure that we would like to remind you on the above mentioned matter (review of school fees allowances) as per our agreement on our last works council meeting, we agreed that we would meet before end of April discussing on reviewing our school fees allowances,” reads the letter signed by workers’ committee chairperson one Mr Marandu and secretary-general Mr Lenin Samhembere.

On failure to repair a generator at Rimuka Maternity Clinic, Alderman Nyamukondiwa said council was seized with the matter.

“The generator is done and its under repair, but as council we are going to replace it with another one urgently,” he said.

Council employees have expressed displeasure at the snail’s pace being taken to repair the generator.

“We have noticed with great concern that at Rimuka maternity clinic the standby generator is not working, forcing workers to use torches, candles and phone torches during baby deliveries, not only is it not safe for our employees, but very risky to the expecting mothers,” reads part of the complaint signed by Mr Murandu and Mr Samhembere.

“The matter has since been reported and there has been no response from relevant authorities.”