Gweru City Council has shortlisted eight candidates for vacant town check post

GWERU City Council has shortlisted eight candidates for interviews to fill the post of town clerk, which fell vacant following the dismissal of Ms Elizabeth Gwatipedza in 2019.

The local authority has been operating without a substantive town clerk, a development that residents say is contributing to poor service delivery in the city.

Last year, the local authority placed an advert in the media inviting aspiring candidates to apply to fill the vacant post and the closing date was December 4.

A total of 24 people applied for the job amid indications those who submitted their CVs failed to make the grade resulting in the council re-advertising.

After the screening process, only four out of 24 applicants met the requirements as per the advertisement.

However, the number was not enough for the council to go ahead with the interviews forcing the local authority to re-advertise the post.

At the close of the January 3 deadline for new applicants, eight candidates were then invited for interviews set for February 14.

The town clerk is responsible for crafting and implementing effective organisational development structures, procedures, and processes aimed at enhancing the functionality of the city and improving its public image.

He or she is also tasked with supervising and overseeing council employees to ensure the delivery of efficient and effective services to the community.

In an interview, Gweru mayor Councillor Martin Chivhoko confirmed the new date for interviews.

He said the three candidates including the acting town clerk Mr Livingstone Churu are council employees while the other five are outsiders.

“The local authority will interview the prospective candidates on February 14. Eight candidates have met the requirements and the top three candidates’ names will be forwarded to the Local Government Board for a final interview,” said Cllr Chivhoko.

He said the successful candidate will be expected to enhance service delivery in the city.

“The local authority is going to engage a substantive town clerk after the interviews, but if he or she fails to perform to the satisfaction of the residents, we will be forced to engage another one until we get the best candidate,” said Cllr Chivhoko.

Ms Gwatipedza was fired after being found guilty on three charges that included disobeying a lawful order to submit her contract of employment and those of other departmental heads.

She was also found guilty of gross incompetence in the performance of her work after she failed to comply with the audit and supervise the finance department.

After her dismissal, Gweru City Council appointed its chamber secretary Mr Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe as the acting town clerk before he later resigned alleging persecution and victimisation by the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) councillors.

Before his resignation, Mr Chikwekwe had been on suspension following his arrest by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc).

It was alleged that he violated tender procedures resulting in companies Sheasham, Casas, and Wackdrive winning tenders to service Mkoba 21 and Randolph Phase 1 suburb stands.

Mr Chikwekwe’s criminal abuse of office matter was however withdrawn before plea when he appeared before a Gweru provincial magistrate. He was replaced by the city’s finance director Mr Churu.

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