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Midlands Bureau Chief
KWEKWE city councillors are allegedly demanding an increase of 300 percent in allowances, that will see an ordinary councillor getting $900 every month. The city mayor, Clr Matenda Madzoke, confirmed the development but disputed the percentage increase councillors are pushing for. He said the councillors were asking for a “normal increase”.
Clr Madzoke could not, however, give The Chronicle the exact percentage they were asking for saying that he was not in office.
“Yes, we’ve applied to the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing for a review of our allowances upwards. That figure is, however, not 300 percent. I believe the percentage is reasonable,” he said.
Clr Madzoke said the increase in allowances should be seen as a way of recognising the councillors for the hard work they were doing for the city.
“We’re doing a lot for the city and we must be recognised (through allowances increase),” he said.
Sources within the council said if the increases were approved by the ministry, Clr Madzoke would be the biggest winner.
The sources said at the moment ordinary councillors were getting $210 in allowances every month while heads of committees were getting $230, deputy mayor $240 and the mayor $260.
“If approved, ordinary councillors would get about $900, heads of committees $950, deputy mayor $1,000 while the mayor would earn $1,100 per month,” said a source at the council on condition of anonymity.
The demand by the councillors comes at a time when Bulawayo City councillors have demanded an allowance increase of more than 450 percent, a move that will see an ordinary councillor getting $1,000 every month.
The move has, however, attracted a backlash from residents who accuse the local authority of having misplaced priorities.
Most civil servants earn below $500 per month and have been engaged in endless negotiations with their employer to have their salaries and conditions of service improved.
Online Reporter