THE economic mismanagement and corruption under the late former President Robert Mugabe’s administration has spilled into the new dispensation of his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Every facet of the economic, political and social stratum is falling apart.
Zanu PF is known for zero implementation of policies.
Because of these economic troubles, Zimbabweans have been adversely affected, lacking basic commodities and suffering from food insecurity, power shortages, record-high rate of unemployment, and a weakening Zimbabwe dollar.
This has been exacerbated by the government crackdown on non-governmental organisations’ private business, setting a bad precedent on the engagement with private voluntary organisations.
The economy is shrinking and the future of many Zimbabweans looks bleak.
Zimbabwe is a failed State. A government that loses control resulting in economic collapse is labelled a failed State.
The Zanu PF government’s inability to fix the economy, stop moral fabric decay and solve the unemployment crisis in the country are pointers that we need new leadership to take over.
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The youths, who are the backbone of economic development in the country, are now drug addicts.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police must be serious about this matter and act accordingly. We are losing a whole generation because of this scourge.
Mnangagwa has failed to address the high rate of drug usage in the country.
He has even failed to deal with corruption, which is dribbling him left, right and centre.
Since he took over power from Mugabe through a coup, Mnangagwa has never positively dealt with the scourge of corruption and just a few have been convicted.
There is nothing to write home about on the education front as examination papers have been leaking, coupled with poor pass rates.
Mnangagwa’s engagement with Beralus, one of the poorest countries in Europe led by Alexander Lukashenko, who is not recognised by Europe and the United States after stealing the August 2020 presidential elections, shows we belong to the club of rogue States. - Leonard Koni
Everything has gone wrong at Lupane Local Board
THINGS have gone really wrong at the Lupane Local Board with respect to the administration side. Substantive town secretary Charlton Moyo has been on suspension for almost a year now.
This is the second time he has been suspended. The first time, he was suspended for more than a year. He came back. The court case for the alleged offence he was suspended for is still on. My concern is not about the suspension per se.
I am extremely worried “his” office has been locked ever since as if it is his personal possession.
The “acting” town secretary uses makeshift offices to attend to business, including in the open.
No one from the top of the chain of command is paying attention to this bizarre administrative set-up.
The human resources and administration department died a long time ago.
Although a substantive director was appointed in 2022, soon after finishing her probation, she went on “study” leave.
That is what I was told upon inquiry. It’s shocking because the question that immediately comes to mind is: On what basis was she appointed in the first place?
The professional requirements for securing advertised positions in local government do not include a “privilege” to pursue studies soon after (90 days) confirmation into the vacancy.
When she was appointed, the department was visibly moribund.
Half a year later, it is palpably dead. Now the head of department (HOD) is inactive, she does not know whether she is coming or going.
The security officer does not seem to take orders from her and similarly the guards from the security officer.
The HOD seems to have no authority over subordinates. The security officer can go off sick anytime and report back to work without producing a sick note from a doctor.
Not so long ago when the security officer went off “sick” for about 20 days claiming that he had been scalded by porridge, I asked to be shown a doctor’s note, but the director failed to produce one, claiming that the security officer had not brought it.
I am still waiting, and I expect one for the sake of transparency and accountability.
By-laws promulgated by the town’s engineering department 10 years ago came into effect for the control of motor vehicles and refuse dumping, inter alia.
I am familiar with local government operations and the laws pertaining to it. By-laws and the Act itself (the latter when necessary, but the former a requirement) are invariably accompanied by the applicable information which has never been displayed for the attention of the public: Notice, warning etc, etc.
The town engineer has been influencing the security officer to act contrary to his job stipulations.
I am a resident of Lupane town and I advocate for transparency and accountability on the part of management.
The information and notices accompanying by-laws are the responsibility of all the directors, although the relevant HOD executes them.
Furthering one’s education while at work is not a right, but a privilege. Employees must produce and/or deliver. Otherwise they are unfit for duty.
The problem at Lupane Local Board is that there is no one to hold management to account, hence the directors are accountable to no one. - Lupane Residents Chapter
Rot at Chiredzi Town Council shocking
POOR service delivery, dilapidating infrastructure, burst sewage and water pipes as well as corruption epitomise the state of Chiredzi Town Council.
A state that has been infused by maladministration, corruption and a co-ordinated pursuit of personal interest rather than public service delivery.
The configuration of every council in Zimbabwe is made of two independent structures, which are the executive and the deliberate.
The executive, being council employees, while the deliberate being the elected councillors who provide an oversight function to the affairs of the local authority.
Therefore, for effective administration to prevail, the councillors must remain neutral and vigilant in their oversight role.
It becomes problematic when councillors abandon their responsibility in pursuit of personal interests.
The case of Chiredzi Town Council is a case study to the grave effects of how dangerous it is for the two independent structures of the council to work in harmony while advancing personal interests.
According to a report released by the Local Government ministry, the co-ordinated efforts of the two — council executives and councillors — is detrimental to good corporate governance which is the foundation of a viable public service delivery.
The report noted that former council chairperson Francis Moyo allegedly received 71 free residential stands from the local authority, with 11 being low-density and 60 high-density.
The other councillors got 46 residential stands each, bringing the total prejudice to the local authority to 393, valued at more than US$1 million.
This was against the prescribed arrangement in which councillors are given one commercial and one residential stand each during their tenure, for which they pay a nominal fee.
Nevertheless, further inquiry into the issue was fruitless as the late town secretary Charles Muchatukwa is said to be the one who approved the entire arrangement without even debating the issue in a full council meeting.
While it is true that the one who approved the arrangement is late, it is also critical to note that some of the beneficiaries of this arrangement are still in council possibly hoping to get more stands at the expense of public service delivery.
If one is to imagine what US$1 million could have done with respect to service delivery, Chiredzi town would have been transformed. - Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development
