The Harare City Council has suspended acting town Clerk Mrs
Josephine Ncube and three other directors on allegations of financial abuse
following a report by a tribunal set up in February to investigate council’s
employment costs compliance.
Harare Water director Engineer Hosiah Chisango was
appointed acting town clerk tasked with appointing officials to fill the void
left by the suspended officials, who also include human capital director Dr
Cainos Chingombe, Dr Prosper Chonzi (Health Services) and Tendai Kwenda
(Finance).
Eng Chisango was also instructed to write suspension
letters to the four at a special full council meeting held last week to allow
the tribunal to officially handover the report. The meeting was, however,
without controversy after Zanu-PF councillors walked out in protest, accusing
acting mayor Councillor Enock Mupamawonde of favouritism as they were not given
time to contribute to the debate.
Lawyer Mr Piwai Chiutsi, the secretary of the tribunal, handed
over the City of Harare Report of the Tribunal on the Ministerial Audit Report
of June 30, 2016 to Cllr Mupamawonde before the tribunal was excused from the
meeting.
Cllr Mupamawonde asked council to discuss the report and
Audit Committee chairperson, Cllr Girisoti Mandere recommended that council
adopted the report and he was seconded by Cllr Theresa Manase.
“We expect the tribunal team to be paid since they have
done a sterling work,” he said. “Officials implicated in the report must be
suspended.”
Alderman Chinyowa interjected, saying council could not
adopt a report which was not given to councillors. Acting mayor Mupamawonde
said the report was emailed to every councillor, hence everyone received it and
allowed Cllr Mandere to continue.
“Acting town Clerk Mrs Ncube, directors Mr Chingombe, Dr
Chonzi and Mr Kwenda should be suspended and an acting town clerk should be
appointed,” said Cllr Mandere.
He said council should appoint a disciplinary committee as
soon as possible and the affected directors should appear before it. Cllr
Chinyowa protested that they were not being given the chance to speak, although
he had raised his hand before Cllr Mandere, hence the acting mayor was being
unfair.
“We paid this tribunal,” he said. “Justice George Smith
(retired) must present this document to us, he must not send emissaries.”
Cllr Mupamawonde said the retired judge had excused
himself. The executives are said to have prejudiced council of more than $3
million in unsanctioned allowances and performance bonuses, while executives’
golden handshakes accounted for more than $6 million at a time when the city
recorded huge budget deficits and service delivery had plunged to an all-time
low.
According the City of Harare Report of the Tribunal on the
Ministerial Audit Report of June 30, 2016 the officials looted the Traditional
Beer Levy account, using the funds to purchase top of the range vehicles while
some funds were transferred to personal accounts without any explanation.
Herald
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