Chitungwiza Residents Trust (CHITREST) and Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ) have called on government to interfere in the Chitungwiza Municipality saga following an audit which exposed the mayor, councillors and council secretariat for corruptly parcelling out stands.
By Philemon Jambaya
The audit report, produced by Council’s internal audit unit, notes that councillors and council staff were identifying undeveloped stands and subsequently allocating the stands amongst themselves.This is a directly violation of council regulation which stipulates that the identification of undeveloped stands and open spaces is the sole responsibility of the Council’s Planning department
Director of Chitungwiza Residents Trust (CHITREST), Marvelous Khumalo told Journalists in Chitungwiza that Minister Saviour Kasukuwere should investigate the councilors who are being implicated in the audit.
“We call upon the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Honourable Kasukuwere to come and investigate this matter like what he did in other towns. We do not know why he is not coming to Chitungwiza where corruption is at its peak,” said Khumalo.
Chitungwiza Mayor Councillor, Phillip Mutoti refused to comment saying he was in a meeting.
“I can’t comment now, I am in a meeting at the moment” said Mutoti.
In a joint statement, Chitungwiza Residents Trust and Centre for Community Developnment (CCDZ) called on the parliament of Zimbabwe to appoint a commission of Inquiry to deal with the matter.
“Parliament must appoint a Commission of Inquiry to investigate corruption at Chitungwiza Municipality and other corrupt local authorities” read the press statement.
The audit report which is in the hands of 263chat also exposes the Mayor of Chitungwiza who bought a stand for his 4 year old son.
Residents of Chitungwiza have questioned the financial muscle and the capacity of a 4 year old to purchase a stand.
“The audit you are talking about is a clear indication of what is happening in Chitungwiza. How can a 4 year old buy and sell stands. A 4 year does who does not have a National Identification Document (ID), one of the requirements purchasing a residential stand, can now trade stands, this shows that there is no transparency in buying residential stands here in Chitungwiza” Said Michael Chabandura.
Centre For Community Develeponment Director Phillip Pasirayi said that government and other relevant authorities should act on the matter with urgency.
“This is an emergency matter, we didn’t give the authorities a timeline but, this matter should be treated with urgency,” said Pasirayi.
Similar to this, In 2010, the Morgan Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic Change suspended all its Councillors in Chitungwiza who were implicated in residential and commercial stands saga.
