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Davies Luthe and Ruwa town secretary Ms Julieth Makombe from leaving for the US last night.
Those from outside Harare were already in Harare, ready for the 10-day trip.
They were set to visit Washington DC, Baltimore, Providence and Chica-go.
Minister Chombo said he received the request to travel to America yesterday, making it impossible for him to fully study documents justifying the trip.
Government grants senior officials Cabinet authority to travel.
Should the officials defy the order, they will either be suspended or dismissed.
Despite the US Department of State having a US$75 000 budget for the eight, the local authorities were still asked to raise their own air fares.
Ruwa raised close to US$10 000 for its secretary’s air fares and subsistence allowances.
In one of the letters from the US State Department, it was noted that funding for the trip was fully catered for.
Councillors from Ruwa refused to sanction the trip, arguing that the amount could best be used for toilets at a school built last year.
According to documents given to The Herald, the eight were going to be guests of the US State department, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs and the International Visitor Programme.
The US Embassy in Harare reque-sted funding for the programme from Washington to “meet needs and reque-sts of Zimbabwean colleagues”.
Ms Jillian Bonnardeaux from the American Embassy’s public affairs de-partment in Harare co-ordinated the programme.
Online Reporter