via Kasukuwere’s Gweru commissioners blow $100k – The Zimbabwean by Brenna Matendere
The Gweru Residents and Rate Payers Association has approached Local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere with a petition against the three member commission he appointed to run the city’s affairs after suspending mayor Hamutendi Kombayi and all 13 MDC-T councillors.
The development comes in the wake of revelations that the commission led by former Masvingo town clerk Tsunga Mangamhi, has blown over $100 000 in subsistence allowances since assuming duty four months ago. In addition, records show the commission also claimed 5 000 litres of fuel in the same period. This is irrespective of the dire financial crisis at town house where workers have gone for over five months without salaries while service delivery has been at its worst.
Cornelia Selipiwe, the GRRA chairperson confirmed the residents have petitioned Kasukuwere.
“We want the minister to intervene in the issue because the records were leaked to us and the residents are angry. For the past four months, the commissioners have been drawing allowances that are unbelievable on the pretext that they have been living in hotels since then. On the other hand, service delivery has suffered dearly,” he said.
Selipiwe added that according to kasukuwere’s brief, the commissioners were suuppossed to get between $ 3000 and $ 2000 but they have all gone on a “looting spree” of the scarce resources at council.
Contacted for comment, the commission’s chairperson Mhangani said he is yet to see the petition and refused to comment on how much they are drawing from council.
Selipwe called for the urgent resolving of the issue of suspended mayor Kombayi and the MDC-T councillors saying absence of elected persons at town house is the reason why corruption is going unchecked at the local authority.
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