The Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, has appointed an investigation team to look into allegations against councillors and senior management at Gweru City Council.
The investigation, set to span 10 days, is authorised under Section 311 (1) of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15).
The team will be chaired by K. Ncube, Chief Director of Local Authorities, with members including E. Njoma (Deputy Director: Public Works), B. Manwa (Financial Advisor), and KG Chakabva (PAO: Local Authorities), who will serve as the secretary.
In a letter dated 25 February 2025, Garwe outlined the investigation’s Terms of Reference, which include:
<ol data-end="1242" data-start="664">
<li data-end="772" data-start="664">Assessing whether Gweru City Council implemented the recommendations from the Ministry’s 2019 land audit.</li>
<li data-end="873" data-start="773">Investigating the alleged use of Estate Funds to purchase vehicles for council officials in 2024.</li>
<li data-end="971" data-start="874">Looking into claims that the Mayor, Cllr. Chivhoko converted aerodrome land for personal use.</li>
<li data-end="1056" data-start="972">Verifying the terms of the Go Bear deal between the council and its new partners.</li>
<li data-end="1122" data-start="1057">Reviewing any other related issues affecting service delivery.</li>
<li data-end="1242" data-start="1123">Producing a report with findings and recommendations for Minister Garwe within 10 days of the investigation’s start.</li>
</ol>
The team is expected to complete the inquiry within the 10-day timeframe and submit its report to Minister Garwe. Gweru City Council will bear the full cost of the investigation.
The letter was also copied to the Gweru District Development Coordinator and the Mayor of Gweru.

Pindula News

The Minister of Local Government appointed a team to investigate Gweru City Council for allegations against councillors and senior management. The investigation will last 10 days and look into past audits, use of funds for vehicles, land conversions, business deals, and service delivery issues. The team will submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Minister. The City Council will pay for the investigation. The Mayor and District Coordinator were also informed about the investigation.

Local Government Minister Appoints Team To Investigate Gweru City Council

The City of Gweru has introduced overnight clamping where motorists found wrongly parked are made to pay US$85.
According to the <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/night-clamping-shock-for-gweru/">Chronicle</a>, the cash-strapped Gweru City Council reportedly owes workers three months’ salary arrears.
A management meeting last week agreed to introduce the night clamping to improve revenue collection.
Tapiwa Marerwa was tasked to spearhead the programme and has since opened a 24-hour office at Town House, where motorists will pay the fines at night.
When contacted for comment by the Chronicle, Gweru mayor Councillor Martin Chivoko, confirmed the development but could not provide the supporting city by-law backing the decision. He said:
<blockquote>
I don’t think there is a need for a by-law about that programme. Motorists who are being clamped at night will be parked at undesignated points or dangerously parked.
They will be breaking the law and endangering other motorists, so they will be clamped for that offence.
</blockquote>
However, a Gweru-based lawyer Constance Madzudzu, said there was a need to pass a city by-law for the council to introduce 24-hour clamping. She said:
<blockquote>
From what I know, which is legally correct, there are clamping zones and clamping hours, which are displayed around the city centre to warn motorists and would-be offenders.
But to waylay motorists at night, clamping them while claiming to be enforcing the same city by-law, which stipulates times, zones, hours and dates is legally wrong.
</blockquote>
Gweru City Council contracted a private company, Gweru City Park, which is now responsible for parking and clamping in the city centre.
The company operates between 8 AM and 4 PM during the week. Lately, Gweru City Council marshals have taken over the streets from 5 PM until 6 AM the following day.
Motorists found wrongly parked at night are clamped and made to pay US$85 fines. Cllr Chivoko said the fine was strictly in USD.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Gweru City Council Introduces Night Clamping

The City of Gweru has reportedly repossessed at least 26 residential stands in Mkoba 21 from the government after its beneficiaries failed to pay for them.
As reported by the <a href="https://newsday.co.zw/southerneye/local/article/200022789/gweru-council-repossesses-stands">Southern Eye</a>, a memo addressed to the beneficiaries dated January 30 copied to the Housing and Social Amenities ministry written by the housing committee, states that the repossessed stands attract a penalty at current market rates. It says:
<blockquote>
The following list of stands are now under repossession and attract penalty to meet the current market rates; stand numbers 18171, 18202, 18205, 18211, 18215, 18217, 18222, 18241, 18257, 18258, 18269, 18277, 18287, 18289, 18297, 18302, 18325, 18344, 18411, 18485, 18493, 18524, 18426, 18527, 18532 and 18533.
</blockquote>
However, Gweru mayor Councillor Martin Chivhoko denied claims that the local authority had repossessed the stands saying they were given to the government as commonage. He said:
<blockquote>
At Mkoba 21 there are some stands which are under the ministry and not under council.
As a council, we are not repossessing any stands as these (stands) were given as commonage and have nothing to do with the local authority.
</blockquote>
The Gweru City Council availed at least 6 000 stands to Mkoba 21 beneficiaries in 2014 and most of them were council employees.
They were given the stands to set off four months’ salary arrears and bonuses owed to workers in 2015.
People are yet to start building houses as developers have not finished serving the land.
Last week, the local authority warned that it would cancel contracts of land developers who failed to service stands.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Gweru City Council Repossesses Residential Stands

The City of Gweru has warned residents against buying fish and chicken from street vendors saying they risked contracting diseases from the uninspected food items.
The <a href="https://newsday.co.zw/southerneye/local/article/200021299/gweru-warns-residents-about-street-food-vendors">Southern Eye</a> reported that some vendors were selling fish caught from some sections of Gweru River that are contaminated with raw sewage.
In a recent statement, the local authority urged residents to buy white meat only from registered suppliers. It said:
<blockquote>
We have noted with concern the selling of fish and chicken on the pavements within the central business district.
Please be advised that such meat is being sold from undesignated places in contravention of the public health legislation and the city health by-laws.
All white meat should be kept frozen and sold from approved and licensed premises.
Let us prevent the introduction and spread of food-borne illnesses by buying our food products from registered and reputable suppliers only.
</blockquote>
Gweru Hawkers and Vendors Association chairperson Lovemore Tingaka told the Southern Eye that they do not encourage vendors to sell meat on the streets. Said Tingaka:
<blockquote>
As a vendors association, we have always pushed for the cause of informal traders, but when it comes to food, we have always encouraged our vendors to have an understanding of the dangers of selling food, particularly meat from the streets.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe’s seemingly unending economic challenges and low disposable incomes have forced hundreds of thousands of people to make a living out of vending.
Vendors sell products at lower prices compared to formal shops and this attracts significant numbers of consumers to streets and pavements.
However, it is not possible for authorities to police food vendors thereby putting the health and lives of consumers at risk.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Gweru Council Warns Residents Against Buying Meat From Vendors

Gweru City Council (GCC) acting Town Clerk Vakayi Douglas Chikwekwe has been arrested for alleged criminal abuse of office.
Chikwekwe was arrested by the police and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), reported <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/emotional-send-off-for-slain-schoolboy/">Chronicle</a>.
He appeared for initial remand before Gweru magistrate Miriam Banda facing one count of criminal abuse of office.
He was not asked to plead. Banda remanded him out of custody on $100 000 bail to 17 March 2023.
Chikwekwe was ordered not to interfere with State witnesses and reporting once every fortnight at the ZACC offices in Gweru.
Prosecuting, Fredrick Matsheza told the court that the complainant is Tapiwa Hove who is employed by the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) as a legal manager.
It is alleged that sometime in 2020, GCC wanted to develop and service Mkoba 21 stands.
On 19 May of the same year, the local authority advertised an invitation of expression of interest in the Zimbabwean Government Gazette for tender number GCC /01/06/2020.
Eight prospective bidders submitted their applications and on 30 June 2020, the technical evaluation committee recommended that Sheasham Investments, Casas Properties and Wackdrive (Pvt) Ltd be shortlisted as they were compliant with the mandatory requirements.
On 3 July 2020, the Procurement Management Unit Committee (PMUC), which was chaired by Chikwekwe, approved the recommendation made by the technical evaluation committee.
Further, the PMUC allegedly recommended that the tender be submitted to the Special Procurement Oversight Committee (SPOC).
Chikwekwe, as the accounting officer, allegedly submitted the tender documents to the SPOC for review on 29 July 2020.
The State alleged that he was supposed to obtain clearance from the SPOC with regard to the documents he had submitted on 29 July 2020, for review.
It was further alleged that the accused proceeded to award contracts to the three bidders on August 18, 2020, without clearance from the SPOC in contravention of Section 94 (3) of the Public Procurement and Disposal of the Public Assets Act (General) Regulations SI 5 of 2018 which requires for certification by the SPOC before awarding a contract.
The court heard that on 20 August 2020, PRAZ wrote a letter directing Chikwekwe to collect bids, extend bid validity, correct the evaluation reports and submit the revised evaluation reports which showed that the SPOC had not certified the awarding of the contracts to the three developers.
Prosecutors said Chikwekwe acted inconsistent or contrary to his duties as accounting officer for GCC by awarding contracts for the servicing of Mkoba 21 stands to Sheasham Investments, Casas Properties and Wackdrive (Pvt) Ltd without clearance from the SPOC thereby showing favour to the three land developers and disfavour to the other companies who bid for the servicing of the stands.

Gweru Town Clerk Arrested For Criminal Abuse Of Office

The City of Gweru has identified more than 60 buildings in the Central Business District (CBD) that need urgent renovations to meet the required standards.
Speaking during a City Council business engagement meeting held recently at the Mayor’s parlour, a Gweru City Council official Tapiwa Marerwa, warned that the local authority will not hesitate to demolish buildings with structural defects. Said Marerwa:
<blockquote>
We have been approached by various stakeholders with complaints that our buildings are in a bad state.
Most of them are generally not being maintained making them inhabitable and not fit to be used.
It is a requirement at law for us as a local authority to make sure that the owners of these buildings have addressed the anomalies.
We have summoned the respective owners of these buildings to take corrective measures but in the case of buildings with structural defects, these will be demolished, there is no going back on that.
</blockquote>
Some of the buildings in the city have collapsing roofs while others have cracks and the paint is peeling off. Added Marerwa:
<blockquote>
While some have cracks, others have paint peeling off and there are a number of buildings that have been abandoned.
Council was in the process of engaging owners of these buildings so that they can address the flagged areas.
</blockquote>
| <a href="https://tellzim.com/more-than-60-defect-ridden-buildings-face-demolition-in-gweru/">TellZim News</a>

More Then 60 Buildings Face Demolition In Gweru CBD

Police have rejected an application by Gweru residents to stage a demonstration against the Gweru City Council on Monday.
The planned protest was organised by Gweru United Progressive Residents and Ratepayers Development Association (GUPRADA) and Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA).
It was set to take place at Gweru Town House from 11 AM to 1 PM.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) turned down the application on the grounds that the convenors failed to meet the requirements outlined in the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA).
Part of a letter dated 12 October 2022, addressed to GUPRADA director David Chikore by the officer Commanding Gweru Police Urban District Superintendent Joshua Nyamadzawo reads in part:
<blockquote>
Reference is made to the notification dated September 11, which was received on October 11. This office regrets to advise you that your notification does not meet the requirements as outlined in Section 7.1(a), 7.2(f-h)b of MOPA Chapter 11;23.
You didn’t give adequate notice of seven days for the intended gathering. You failed to state conveners’ addresses and their deputies’ names, addresses and telephone numbers. You failed to indicate the number of participants.
You failed to indicate the number and names of marshals as well as how they’re distinguished.
You also failed to mention the manner in which the participants will be transported to and from the venue.
</blockquote>
GRRA director Conilia Selipiwe told <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200002007/police-block-gweru-residents-demo">NewsDay Weekender</a> that they had taken note of the letter and will make another application on Friday, 14 October 2022.

Police Block Gweru Residents' Demo, Cite MOPA Provisions

The City of Gweru (COG) has, through the Messenger of Court (MOC), served 421 defaulting residents with final letters of demand as the council takes the legal route in a bid to recover $2.6 billion it is owed for rates and other services.
Early this year, a number of homeowners from the Senga area had their properties attached by the MOC at the instigation of the local government authority to force ratepayers to settle outstanding bills.
As of December 31, 2021, the council was owed $1.1 billion which rose to $1.7 billion in May and now it’s at $2.6 billion and rising, according to the<a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/final-warning-for-rates-defaulters/"> Chronicle</a>.
In an interview with the publication, COG public relations officer Ms Vimbai Chingwaramusee confirmed the development and said ratepayers had lost an appetite to settle their bills. She is quoted as saying:
<blockquote>
The City of Gweru has through the Messenger of Court (MOC) served 421 defaulting residents with final letters of demand as council takes the litigation route in a bid to recover $2,6 billion it is owed for rates and other services. Of the 421 final letters of demand 159 have been executed meaning if they don’t pay, they will end up losing their valuables.
</blockquote>
She said residents owe the council over $1.6 billion followed by industry which owes over $400 000 and the Government departments which are over $207 000.
The COG announced the 2022 budget of $4.9 billion in United States Dollars using the interbank rate, a development that has resulted in a sharp surge in bills.
According to a statement for the month of June-July sent to one of the residents, the bill has increased from about $3 500 to $13 600 while another statement has a bill rising from about $2 491 to $25 404 in the same month.
COG finance committee chairperson Councillor Martin Chivhoko recently said a USD budget was justified considering that the council was also operating in a hyper-inflationary environment.
<h2><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

Council Serves 421 Defaulting Residents With Final Letters

The mayor of the city of Gweru and Ward 1 councillor, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Hamutendi_Kombayi">Hamutendi Kombayi</a>, has asked council management to engage the owners of donkey-drawn scotch carts to help in refuse collection.
Illegal firewood hawkers frequent Gweru’s high-density suburbs, merchandising their wares using donkey-drawn scotch carts.
Speaking in a Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) WhatsApp group on 15 August, Kombayi suggested that since the local authority didn’t have enough trucks for refuse collection, it should be innovative and engage the owners of donkey-drawn scotch carts. Said Kombayi:
<blockquote>
The deputy mayor, all councillors here present, all protocols observed. May I take this opportunity to emphasize that I am trying to communicate to you this week with regard to refuse collection.
We are going to hold our Midlands Agricultural Show from the 18th to the 21st of this month and as the City of Progress, we need to unite bearing in mind that we have current disease outbreaks.
We need to hold a robust clean-up campaign to avoid all that. The problem is that our council does not have refuse trucks.
We need to make other suggestions so that refuse is collected. I am going to meet the Chamber Secretary so that he engages those with donkey scotch carts.
As the Commander in Chief of Gweru Municipality police, I command that the Chamber Secretary allow those young people who own donkey-drawn scotch carts selling firewood to do their firewood business freely and in return, they collect refuse on behalf of council.
Council management should also think outside the box. If you fail to reach your agreements with contracted trucks, let’s engage owners of donkey-drawn carts to lessen the burden.
</blockquote>
Gweru council Public Relations Officer Vimbai Chingwaramusee said refuse trucks have been repaired and are now back on the road. She said:
<blockquote>
Our refuse trucks have been serviced and they are back on the road. As we are speaking now, refuse collection has resumed and it’s now back to normal.
As council, we are in the process of planning to adopt a new refuse collection structure where all refuse is collected from one point in all locations.
We saw this model in Bulawayo, it’s a model that engages private contractors in collecting and bringing garbage to one point of collection where our trucks will be collecting.
</blockquote>
The majority of Zimbabwe’s urban councils have for years been struggling to collect refuse and as a result, ratepayers have resorted to dumping garbage everywhere including in storm drains.
More: <a href="https://tellzim.com/mayor-proposes-use-of-scotch-carts-for-refuse-collection/">TellZim News</a>

Mayor Proposes Use Of Scotch Carts For Refuse Collection

The City of Gweru is set to establish a new suburb called Randolph, which will have 1 812 stands.
The new suburb will have two phases and is situated next to Daylesford, Nehosho and Fletcher areas.
This was confirmed by Gweru City Council public relations officer Vimbai Chingwaramusee. She said:
<blockquote>
I can confirm that plans are at an advanced stage for a new suburb that will have 1 812 stands in the City of Gweru called Randolph suburb. Stands in Randolph phase one are 456 while phase two has 1 356 stands.
… Randolph phase two started in 2021 while phase one started in 2007. Stands have been sold out for both projects.
</blockquote>
Chingwaramusee said servicing of the stands, which involves road construction and installation of water and sewer reticulation services, is in progress for both projects.
Gweru has a housing waiting list of 34 280 people.
More: <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/gweru-gets-new-suburb-with-1-812-stands/">Chronicle</a>

Gweru Establishes New Suburb With 1 812 Stands

ZESA Holdings has threatened to switch off Gweru City Council to recover a ZWL$260 million debt.
The City of Gweru’s director of finance, Livingstone Churu, said they received a notice from the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC), a unit of ZESA, on Monday stating the power utility’s intention to disconnect the electricity. Said Churu:
<blockquote>
Like today (Monday), I did not have a good day in the office after I received a notice of electricity disconnection and I was really troubled.
What it means is that if our electricity is disconnected, we can no longer pump water, and we cannot collect revenue, so we were pleading with ZESA not to switch us off and I think they understood us because they were bound to disconnect us today (Monday) at 10 AM.
</blockquote>
ZESA Holdings says it is owed US$62 million and ZWL$17 billion by both individuals and commercial and industrial clients as of last week.
More: <a href="https://businesstimes.co.zw/zesa-threatens-to-cut-off-gweru-city-council/">Business Times</a>

ZESA Threatens To Disconnect City Of Gweru

Striking Gweru City Council workers have rejected a $23 000 minimum wage proposed by Council for unskilled and semi-skilled employees under Grade One.
The workers want Grade One employees, the category in which general hand employees fall, to pockets $30 000 including allowances.
However, Gweru Mayor Councillor Josiah Makombe said Council will prioritise service delivery and will pay workers salary rates that are in tandem with the economy as well as the revenue collected by Council. Said Makombe:
<blockquote>The workers are alleging that they are paid slightly above $ 6000 for the least paid person who are mostly general hand and semi-skilled employees.
What they are not saying is that after factoring in allowances, the least paid workers take home $ 15 000.
We had proposed to raise their basic salary to $10 000 which after allowances gets to $23 000 for the least paid.
Some of the employees that fall under this category do not have adequate Ordinary Level qualifications.</blockquote>
Makombe also revealed that Council is owed $300 million by ratepayers as only 40 per cent of the projected revenue is being collected.
He said 70 per cent of the revenue collections are being channelled towards employees’ remunerations and not service delivery when it should be the other way round.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/just-in-gweru-city-employees-reject-23-000-minimum-wage/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Sunday News</a></h4>

Gweru City Workers Turn Down $23 000 Minimum Wage

The Gweru City Council (GCC) has established several temporary shelters for residents who may be affected by floods following incessant rains across Zimbabwe’s third-largest city over the past few weeks.
<img alt="Image" decoding="async" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EsBnTcUWMAQLn82?format=jpg&amp;name=medium"/>
In a public notice, City of Gweru Acting Town Clerk Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe warned residents of Mkoba 4 (Dewa Road), Tinshell suburb, Woodlands, Mtapa, Nashville, Ascot Extension, among other areas, to evacuate to the centres. He said:
<blockquote>The City of Gweru would like to advise residents, clients and stakeholders residing in Mkoba 4(Dewa Road), Tinshell suburb, Woodlands, Mtapa, Nashville, Ascot Extension and other areas that due to persistent rains flooding may occur.
Hence, we encourage affected residents to evacuate to the following temporary shelters:</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>
<blockquote>Senga Training Centre</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Mpumelelo Primary School</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Takwirira Primary School</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Budiriro Primary School</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Matongo Primary School</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Mtapa Hall</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Shumba Hall</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Mkoba Hall</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Ingwe Hall</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Ascot Beer Hall</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Senga Beer Hall</blockquote>
</li>
</ul>
<img alt="Image" decoding="async" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EsBnS7iXIAI8E-j?format=jpg&amp;name=medium"/>

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