THE Harare City Council has suspended director of works,
Engineer Isaiah Chawatama and finance manager, Mr Godfrey Kusangaya — at a time
when the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) is investigating the
council road works scandal.
Zacc has opened an investigation into the falsification of
roads works progress figures to influence contracts extension. The anti-graft
body’s spokesman, Commissioner John Makamure confirmed the probe.
Town Clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango said the move was meant
to pave way for an extensive probe into allegations of misconduct.
“We want investigations into a lot of issues which need to
be cleared,” he said. The Sunday Mail obtained documents detailing the
suspensions of the top council officials.
The Town Clerk sent Eng Chawatama – who became director of
works in 2017 — on forced leave for 45 days with full salary and benefits.
Eng Chisango wrote that: “It has come to my attention that
your department is facing some operational challenges that has necessitated an
investigation in order to establish the facts on the ground. For purposes of
transparency, it is necessary that you be given absence of leave to pave way
for this investigation.
“…meanwhile you are directed not to report at your work
station to pave way for the smooth flow of the investigations during the leave
period unless at my request or any other official delegated by my office.
“Please note that all your benefits will not be affected
during this period of leave of absence. Once investigations are completed you
will be informed of the results therefrom.”
Eng Chawatama’s forced leave follows a revelation by The
Sunday Mail of how the department of works concocted figures on road works to
influence contracts extensions for private contractors.
The department of works’ false report was exposed by the
procurement division in a letter dated 5 July 2019, which was addressed to Eng
Chisango, who in turn ordered an internal audit on the Kelvin South Road.
Council internal auditors also nailed the department of
works for stating that 15 percent of works had been done on Kelvin South Road
yet nothing had been done. Although no payment had been released for the Kelvin
South Road, questions were raised why council roads engineers lied about the
progress on the rehabilitation of the road.
A report by the council audit manager Mr Archibald
Nyamurova, recommended an external investigation on all the roads which were
done by Bitumen World, Fossil Construction, Tarcon, Tencraft Construction —
where council forked out $7 455 453.
A roads works schedule for 2019, shows that Bitumen was
paid $4,2 million for rehabilitation of Central Avenue, Harare Drive (Kirkman
to Lomagundi), Marimba Road, Harare Street, Livingstone Avenue, Selous Avenue,
5th and 5th Street.
Fossil Construction was paid $1,7 million for
rehabilitation works on Exhall Road, Park Street, Park Lane, Leopold Takawira
and Cameroon Streets.
Another contractor, Tarcon was given $580 333 for works on
Main Street in Highfield, 51st Street, 162th Street, 62nd Street, Cannon
Patterson Street1 Avenue and 3rd Crescent Glen Norah.
Council paid Tencraft Construction $195 096 for the
rehabilitation of Tafara Way (Mabvuku/Tafara).
Mr Nyamurova recommended that: “An external engineer should
be contracted by council to assess the stage of completion of uncompleted roads
taking into account materials used and funds already paid to contractors.
“All contracts which expired on 31 December, 2018 to
rehabilitate council roads should not be renewed until an audit of all roads
which were not completed has been done.”
However, The Sunday Mail understands council has since
renewed the contracts until June 2020 yet to external audit was done on all the
council roads and funds paid to contractors.
Engineer Chisango seems to be on a serious mission to
restore sanity at Town House after suspending the finance manager Mr Kusangaya
for neglecting his duties.
The finance boss was supposed to be away for 14 days with
full benefits to authorise payment of order number 0100951 for the drilling of
boreholes in Mabvuku to facilitate the relocation of Gunhill squatters.
The purchase order had been raised by the procurement
division.
“The above alleged misconduct is suspected to have been in
breach of Section 4 (a) of Labour (National Employment Code of Conduct
Regulations), Statutory Instrument 15 of 2006. Please be advised that you will
be formally notified of the outcome of the investigations once the process is
completed.
Government has ordered a forensic audit to establish the
root cause of the paralysis in service delivery, particularly the inability to
supply residents with potable water, which is putting lives at risk.
Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs, Oliver
Chidawu believes there is a “management crisis” at the local authority. Sunday
Mail
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