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Yeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni has urged Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo to lift suspensions imposed on three councillors by his predecessor Saviour Kasukuwere over their alleged involvement in a $3,1 million tender scam.

He said the councillors should be able to represent their wards while the matter was being finalised.

The affected councillors are Paula Macharangwanda, Wilton Janjazi and Urayayi Mangwiro, who represent (Wards 5 (Belvedere), Ward 38 (Kuwadzana) and Ward 37 (Kuwadzana), respectively.

The three, who sat on the Harare City Council procurement board, are alleged to have awarded a shadowy company, Energy Resources Africa Consortium (ARAC), a contract to rehabilitate Firle and Crowborough sewer treatment plants without going to tender in 2010.

Clr Manyenyeni made the remarks during his State of the City Address (SOCA), which he delivered at the Town House.

He expressed concern that the councillor’s wards had no representation since last year.

“I am concerned that four wards, including that of Tungamirai Madzokere, have had no representations due to legal matters involving their councillors,” he said.

Clr Madzokere was jailed for murdering a police officer in Glen View.

“For the good of the affected residents, I am appealing to the Honourable Minister to lift the three suspensions pending finalisation of the matter,” said Clr Manyenyeni. He said they made remarkable progress in improving the state of roads in the CBD, though the story was different in residential areas.

“Last year, I indicated that the state of the roads in Harare was a disaster,” said Clr Manyenyeni.

“The Government then declared a state of emergency, leading to the release of funds for road repairs. While significant progress was made especially in the CBD, the same cannot be said about the residential areas.”

Clr Manyenyeni bemoaned the inadequate funding they have been receiving from Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara), which he said was not proportional to the vehicle population in Harare.

“Zinara should ensure that we are given funding that is commensurate with the vehicle population in Harare,” he said.

“Without that funding, the roads nightmare in Harare will continue to worsen. For your city council, the road mandate remains largely an unfunded one.”

Clr Manyenyeni said with an estimate of 400 000 registered vehicles, they expected $10 million per quarter or $40 million per year from vehicle licence fees, but what they had been given over the past nine years, may most likely be less than what was collected in one year.