The cash strapped local authority is set to pay Ward 11 councillor Albert Chirau and former councillor Moses Marecha US$25 000 for outstanding allowances for the time they were dismissed during their 2013-2018 term. In a deed of settlement, the local authority sought an out of court settlement with the two after months of legal battle.
“Whereas the plaintiff and defendant have reached an out of
court settlement and herein record their settlement terms and conditions. The
defendant (Gweru City Council) agrees that they owe the plaintiffs (Chirau and
Marecha) US$12 500 each in outstanding allowances and a commercial stand each
as part of their exit package. The defendant undertakes to pay
US$12 500 to Albert Chirau first Plaintiff within 60 days
of the granting of this order. The defendant undertakes to pay US$12 500 to
Moses Marecha second Plaintiff within 60 days of the granting of this order,”
reads part of the deed of settlement.
Meanwhile, water problems in Gweru have resurfaced after
the four pumps that were bought by Government and installed at Amapongokwe Dam
to ease the city’s water challenges all broke down.
The Government through the Ministry of Local Government and
Public Works sourced the four water pumps for City of Gweru at a cost of US$440
000. Ironically the local authority had earlier indicated that it required US$6
million for the pumps raising suspicion of fraudulent machinations.
The purchase of the pumps by Government had brought the
total number of pumps at the reserve water source to five and a combined
pumping capacity of 80 mega litres of water daily. However, the four pumps are
said to have broken down resulting in the resurfacing of water challenges in
the city. The local authority has since introduced water rationing. Gweru Mayor
Councillor Josiah Makombe confirmed the new development.
“We have water supply challenges in the city. This is
because the newly installed water pumps at the city’s alternative water source,
Amapongokwe all developed faults. The four water pumps that we received have
broken down. The water pumps were procured from South Africa. We are hoping
that they will be fixed soon so that we start supplying adequate water to the
city,” he said.
The local authority recently signed a debt cancellation
agreement with Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) over an outstanding
$1,5 million for raw water from Gwenhoro Dam. On the other hand, Zinwa owed
council $3,3million for clean water supplies to Whawha Prison, Fletcher High
School and Midlands State University. Zinwa agreed to offset the $1,5 million
debt with GCC receiving the difference of $1,8million. Sunday News
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