HARARE City Council has rejected a request by three councillors who
were demanding $12 000 each from the local authority to settle the legal
fees they incurred when they were suspended by the Local Government
ministry.
Wilson Janjazi of Kuwadzana, Urayayi Mangwiro (Kuwadzana) and Paula Macharangwanda (Warren Park) had approached council demanding refund for
legal fees they paid to lawyers who represented them during the
tribunal hearing, but council turned down the claim.
“In terms of the ruling by the independent tribunal outlined above,
and the legal opinion submitted to the committee, the committee (human
resources committee) noted that council could not accede to the claim by
the three councillors in question,” read part of the resolution passed
by council last Monday.
Janjazi claimed that since he had been acquitted by the tribunal
which was chaired by lawyer, Thabani Mpofu, council should settle his
legal fees.
“Following a legal battle between myself and City of Harare through the
Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing soon
after my suspension on the 24th of July 2017,” reads Janjazi’s letter to
council. “I incurred legal costs, which I feel council must cater for
since I have been cleared of any wrongdoing by the tribunal set up by
the ministry.”
Three Harare councillors were suspended for allegedly defrauding
council of close to $32 million in a sewer rehabilitation project in
2010, but were cleared by a tribunal — necessitating their return to
council.
Mpofu and his team which included one T Nyamunda and one P Nyengwa,
were tasked to probe allegations that in 2010, the three councillors,
who sat in the procurement committee, awarded a shadowy company, Energy
Resources Africa Consortium (ARAC), a contract to rehabilitate Firle and
Crowborough sewer treatment plants without going to tender.
They were also facing charges of coming up with an unpriced bill of
quantities for the rehabilitation works and neglecting to request the
bidder to submit the required documents in breach of the provisions of
the Urban Councils Act (Chapter29:15).
But in the tribunal’s findings, the trio had not committed any offence.
Besides the disciplinary processes, the three, together with former city
treasurer Misheck Mubvumbi and other directors, still have a criminal
case pending at the High Court on the same matter.
Meanwhile, Harare councillors have requested the local authority to
review their out of pocket allowances, saying the $10 per day was not
enough. Newsday
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