The cash-strapped Zimbabwe Government has so far paid $3, 5
million to members of the country’s 10 Provincial Councils for doing no work at
all as they are yet to be sworn in, sources have said.
The 100 councillors, 10 from each political province were
elected into office in July 2018 but have not been sworn in.
Sources told The Mirror that these councillors were paid
$30 000 lump sum each in August 2019 and another $5 000 lump sum this year
making the total $35 000. There are 10 provincial councils in the country each
with 10 members thereby bringing the total number of councillors to 100.
The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National
Housing, July Moyo said he was in a meeting when The Mirror called him for a
comment today.
It is understood that apart from these payments, there is
nothing written down in terms of their conditions of work.
Prominent analyst, Dr James Tsabora said that the move
smacks of bad governance.
“There is no Act of Parliament, there are no structures and
there is therefore no framework for public funds accountability. How did they
pay these and these are salaries for doing what job? This smacks of bad
governance,” said Dr Tsaora.
The provincial councils are provided for in the new
Constitution of Zimbabwe and their primary mandate is to promote development in
the specific provinces and to prepare development plans. The 10 members of each
provincial council are elected during harmonised elections and the 100 were
elected in 2018.
The Mirror understands from sources that the councillors’
earnings are pegged at 75% of the non-taxable allowances of Members of
Parliament.
The councillors who spoke to The Mirror told the newspaper
that they have never attended any meeting as a council. However, all they have
done so far is to go to Harare to attend special addresses by the State
President. Masvingo Mirror
0 comments:
Post a Comment