Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution secretary Tafadzwa Muguti, has warned Chitungwiza councillors against dabbling in corrupt activities saying they will be arrested if they become wayward.
This comes after Chitungwiza councillors in 2022 gave each other graves which they then sold for US$500 per grave.
Muguti also warned the councillors against having unnecessary workshops in order to milk council coffers by generating allowances. He said:
There is a policy you had last year where you gave each other graves. Stop It. Free graves are outlined in the office of the Minister of State through social welfare. We have been doing this since 1980.
In all your wards, there are social welfare officers. We know the poor people in your area. What you were doing last year, councillors identifying poor people and deciding who to dish out graves to. You think I did not know that some of you were selling the graves for US$500.
When you see us arresting you, it is because you would not have been transparent with my office. The chamber secretary is there to guide you when you have your meetings.
Don’t override him because he is your lawyer. If he tells you, ‘the law says don’t do this,’ don’t do it. This is coming with a very stern warning.
We don’t do workshops for the ease of generating allowances. We do them to enhance each other’s capacity. So you would rather do one workshop for three days than a scenario where today you are in Kariba and tomorrow you are in Masvingo.
He also accused some councils of accumulating as much as 500 litres as fuel allowance.
Muguti said his office will not tolerate abuse of office by councillors.
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