Online Reporter
Paul Pindani in CHINHOYI
TWO Chinhoyi Councillors were given allowances to travel for two business conferences, one in Saudi Arabia and another one in Gweru, yet none of them made the trips.
Ward Four Councillor Ignatius Zvigadza was given US$1,000 for the Saudi Arabia International Conference for Learning Cities.
Zvigadza could not get a visa and he failed to travel for the conference.
However, by then he had already used the money.
Councillor David Malunga found himself in a similar predicament.
He was supposed to attend a conference in Gweru but failed to do so.
Malunga was given ZiG9154.04 and USD$337.
They have both proposed that the Council use the money, which they are supposed to get in allowances, to offset the money they received for conferences which they never attended. However, in the case of Zvigadza, such an arrangement will mean it will take 13 months before his arrears are cleared. Zvigadza sent an email to Finance Director Zephaniah Chirarwe proposing that he convert the allowances he receives to paying back the money.
However, Chirarwe noted that if the deductions were to be made, it would take the Council 13 months to clear the arrears.
derick.khumalo