CHIREDZI residents have threatened to sue their local authority over its refusal to publicise results of a recent audit amid allegations that the audit had unearthed shady land deals involving some councillors.
BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA
The issue generated heated debate during a recent stakeholders’ meeting to brainstorm how council could improve its revenue collection systems.
Tempers flared after town secretary Charles Muchatukwa and council chairperson Francis Moyo failed to explain a land sales debt amounting to $4,3 million.
According to council’s monthly progress report dated September 30, 2017, the local authority was owed $10 134 290 of which $4 339 076 was for land sales.
Sources close to the matter revealed that Shineplus, a housing scheme, owes council most of the $4 339 076.
Moyo initially tried to dodge the allegations, saying they were in debt and had failed to pay employees for the past seven months because of government’s 2013 debt write-off directive.
However, when pressed for further details, Muchatukwa only said they would engage debt collectors or send summons to those in arrears.
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Although the town secretary has been in office for 15 years, he blamed the previous administration for the land debt. “We will take legal action against the debtors if that’s what you want. This (land sales) has been done by the previous administration,” he said
Chiredzi Town Council has been rated one of the most corrupt councils in the country, and embattled former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere once threatened to fire the entire Zanu PF-led council after it emerged that councillors were allocated 40 residential stands each.
