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Heather Charema in Chegutu
Chegutu Rural District Council (RDC) has resolved to send the chief executive Mr Dan Zvobgo on forced leave pending investigations into allegations of abuse of office and gross mismanagement.
Human resources manager Mr Admire Machingura has been appointed acting CEO.
The RDC has set up a committee that will look into the issues for disciplinary action to be taken against Mr Zvobgo.
This comes at a time when Chegutu RDC’s properties were last week attached by Oakfin Private Limited after a land deal which involved 12 hectares of State land backfired.
Investigations made by The Herald indicate that Chegutu RDC sold 12 hectares of State land to Oakfin Private Limited for US$100 000.
On discovering that the land was acquired for land reform, the local authority offered Oakfin another piece of land at Niklot Farm, but the access road to the property was encroaching into another property and Oakfin approached the courts for recourse.
Oakfin went on to pay a surveyor to speed up the process.
Information provided by the council management indicates that they thought Oakfin had withdrawn or withheld the case only to be advised of a court judgment that had been issued in default.
The Sheriff of High Court last week collected an Isuzu KB250, 24 boardroom chairs, Kippor generator, Xerox photocopier, six computers, water dispenser, three metal cabinets and two leather chairs.
In an interview with The Herald yesterday, Chegutu RDC chairman Councillor Tatenda Gwinji said: “The CEO has been charged with gross mismanagement, abuse office and many other issues including the Oakfin land deal which had the council properties being attached.
“So we resolved to have him go on forced leave and the council was tasked to have a committee to look into the issues and if there is substance for suspension, the council gave me the powers to do so.”
He gave the acting CEO a 10- day work plan to develop road infrastructure and restock all clinics with immediate effect.
Mr Machingura has also been tasked with refilling potholed roads with gravel and to grade at least 40km in each ward.
“We have a mandate from the President to provide service and implement his vision of achieving an upper middle class economy by 2030,” said Clr Gwinji.
In his report to the special full council meeting at Rukawo Motel in Chegutu yesterday, Mr Zvobgo said council management had since got a revised layout and the surveyor was on the ground.
The surveyor has promised to lodge the survey by today so that the property becomes transferable.
Online Reporter