The Kwekwe City Town Council resolved to buy expensive phone tablets for its 14 councillors at a time when service delivery has fallen to deplorable levels.
It was agreed at a full council meeting recently that the procurement department had promised councillors the phones before the end of July.
NewZimbabwe.com was told by its sources that each tablet would cost US$700 or its equivalent on the interbank market. Said the source:
The councillors are going to get tablets before month-end like indicated by the procurement department.
Each tablet was budgeted at US$700 before the outlawing of the multi-currency regime.
I think the tablets will be procured using the equivalent amount on the interbank market.
Kwekwe mayor Councillor Angeline Kasipo confirmed the development and said that the move is a progressive one. She said:
Councillors are indeed going to receive tablets. The gadgets were budgeted for even though I am not privy to the procurement figures.
This is a progressive move considering that communication between councillors and management was a challenge.
Even when we wanted to have meetings, messages would be communicated by word of mouth which is very retrogressive.
The move is therefore progressive as it will make communication easier for the city fathers.
The development has however irked Kwekwe residents. Kwekwe Residents and Rate Payers Development Association Secretary-General Alex Homela recently told reporters that the council has misplaced priorities and lacks imagination:
Instead of taking responsibility the council always burdens residents with tariff increases even though residents are already overwhelmed and are failing to service already existing debts.