Council gets ultimatum

Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter—
GOVERNMENT has given Mutare City Council two weeks to advertise the post of the town clerk which fell vacant following the resignation of the incumbent Mr Obert Muzawazi last week over a damning audit report which exposed corruption. In a letter addressed to Mutare City Mayor, Councillor Tatenda Nhamarare, which was also copied to the Provincial Administrator Mr Fungai Mbetsa, the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, rescinded a council resolution which had appointed Housing and Community Services Director Mr Stenard Mapurisa as the acting town clerk.

Instead, Cde Kasukuwere appointed City Engineer, Engineer Donald Nyatoti as the acting town clerk to oversee council business until a substantive appointment is made.

“I have noted that on January 27, 2016, at a special council meeting, that you resolved to appoint Mr S Mapurisa to act as the town clerk. Due to current investigations going on in Mutare, I believe that the appointment of Mr Mapurisa was inappropriate. I have therefore, in terms of Section 314 of the Urban Councils Act, rescinded the said resolution. I hereby direct, in terms of Section 315, that Engineer Nyatoti be appointed to act as town clerk until a substantive appointment is made.

“I expect to see an advert to fill the vacant town clerk post flighted within the next two weeks. Please inform Eng Nyatoti that the ministry staff are available to assist him fulfil his duties as acting town clerk,” reads the letter.

Clr Nhamarare said council had accepted the appointment of Eng Nyatoti. He said the council had started implementing recommendations of the special audit report.

“We are in line with implementing the recommendations of the audit report. We have since reduced our labour force to cut expenditure on wages which were eating a big chunk of our revenue. At the moment all contract workers totaling 246 have had their contracts of employment terminated. We are no longer paying cash in lieu on leave days as we try to minimize costs. Despite the challenges we are facing we are determined to get things right and thus we are working around the clock to achieve that.

“I as the mayor of the city I want to assure residents that we will work tirelessly to improve service delivery and we residents to help us by paying their rates,” he said.

Eng Nyatoti said the appointment was a big challenge.

“We need to sober up and make the city running again. This is a big challenge and I will do my best to live up to expectations. We are currently seized with implementing recommendations of the audit report and align our operations to accord ratepayers good service,” he said.

For the past week the local authority was on auto pilot with no executive authority at the Civic Centre following the ministry’s disapproval of Mr Mapurisa.