adminLovemore Zigara Business Correspondent
KWEKWE City councilors have shot down a deal proposed by management to engage a contractor who has been awarded a $240,000 tender to construct a storm drain to be given land for residential stands as payment. Cordox Engineering was awarded the tender for the construction of the storm drain which councilors have vehemently opposed.
Councillors who spoke at the full council meeting held recently objected to the deal and said the decision by management bordered on creating “land barons” in Kwekwe.
First to raise his concern was Clr Weston Masiya who argued that if the proposal was to be adopted, then council would be going against Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Savior Kasukuwere’s fight against land barons.
“What’s happening here is a situation where we want to create land barons which Minister Kasukuwere is against. And if we’re to have these kind of transactions then we’ll be digging our own grave as council.
“Why can’t we borrow money from banks to offset whatever we owe to the contractor? This business of paying off transactions using land is unsustainable,” he said.
Clr Aaron Gwaladzimba weighed in and said such a move would be tantamount to mortgaging council. “We run the risk that we’ll not have land of our own to provide low cost housing to low income residents. Through such transactions we’re giving power to the company to take the land away from us and breed land barons.
“I also want to know how the land is going to be parceled out and at what rate because it’s not clear how the $240,000 land is to be parceled out,” said Gwaladzimba. More councilors weighed in against the deal and it was agreed that the issue be referred back to the housing committee stage for consideration.
The Mayor, Clr Matenda Madzoke said the move was part of councilors’ oversight role but warned councilors from directly being involved in the council’s tendering processes.
Online Reporter