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with dismissal letters over the weekend.
This comes after a team appointed by the minister to investigate the municipality unearthed rampant corruption and embezzlement of funds by management.
The dismissals were with immediate effect.
Minister Chombo accused the councillors of failing to executive their “strategic responsibilities as special interest councillors”.
Last week, Minister Chombo spewed vitriol at Chitungwiza councillors, accusing them of failing to carry out their duties.
“There is serious dereliction of duty by councillors to the extent that they have allowed the town clerk and management to usurp their authority as policy makers with impunity. Consequently, management has become a de facto policy making body in contravention of the Urban Councils Act,” said Minister Chombo.
He said the failure by councillors allowed management to make “self-serving decisions” that they implemented without any council resolution.
According to the findings of the investigation team, Chitungwiza Municipality is in a precarious financial situation as evidenced by its failure to meet statutory obligations and to execute service delivery. Council is in salary arrears yet management awarded a 132 percent salary increment across the board and recruited 204 employees without approval from the ministry.
This saw the wage bill ballooning from 67 percent to 87 percent of its revenue, forcing the municipality to borrow US$3,4 million from various banks to service the salary bill.
Council is now failing to service the loan.
Management is also enjoying huge salaries and allowances with the highest paid employee pocketing US$31 000 per month excluding allowances and other perks.
The monthly bill for management alone stands at US$299.179.
Management further awarded itself personal loans of up to US$90 000 to buy luxury vehicles and by the time investigations were carried out, loans amounting US$347 000 had been issued out but there were no deductions effected from the beneficiaries’ salaries.
Money meant to develop the Nyatsime Housing Scheme stands was reportedly diverted to cater for managers’ needs.
Council equipment ranging from vehicles, tractors, trailers to excavators was auctioned in 2010 without a council resolution.
Online Reporter