The Zimbabwe National Organization of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART) has urged the government to consider establishing commissions to run the local authorities of Harare and Chitungwiza.
ZBC News quoted ZNOART national chairperson Shalvar Chikomba as saying the suspended senior officials from Chitungwiza and Harare continue to receive full salaries and packages, with those acting in their capacities also getting full perks. Said Chikomba:
The City of Harare and Chitungwiza Municipality has the largest number of acting managers and directors, deliberately the management and the mayor are not holding boards of inquiry for all suspended Executives who continue to collect full salaries and packages whilst at home.
The acting personnel are collecting the full salary and perks of acting as well as the full perks of their current position.
It is unfortunate that the government through the non-functional Local Government Board has allowed this to continue for over three years with all suspended personnel benefiting from home at the expense of residents.
We plead with him to constitute a commission to run the affairs of those two.
Chikomba also noted that the City of Harare has failed to produce audited financials for the past three years. He said:
The City of Harare has failed to produce audited financial statements year after year and it’s now three years.
What is shocking is that without any audited financials, they have continued to have budgets approved by the Ministry of Local Government.
Timely publishing of audited financials creates an environment of transparency and accountability, we demand that these be published in the next 90 days.
Like most urban councils in Zimbabwe, Harare and Chitungwiza are struggling to provide water, repair roads and collect garbage in residential areas and CBDs.
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