Long-serving council CEO retires

Cletus Mushanawani Mashonaland Central Bureau

ONE of the longest-serving local authority chief executives Mr Sydney Chiwara has retired after serving Chaminuka Rural District Council for 39 years.

Mr Chiwara retired recently after joining the local authority in 1979 as a housing bookkeeper before he was promoted to area board secretary after two years.

At the same time, he was also serving as assistant superintendent.

This was the highest office a black person could occupy at the time as councils were still being administered by whites.

Mr Chiwara told guests at his farewell reception recently that he was retiring a satisfied man and will be pursuing his passion of farming.

Mashonaland Central provincial administrator Mr Cosmas Chiringa thanked Mr Chiwara for his dedicated service to the local authority.

He implored other chief executives to emulate Mr Chiwara’s example and work towards the development of the areas under their jurisdiction and Zimbabwe at large.

Mr Chiwara was appointed town superintendent in 1984 and served until 1996 when rural district councils were amalgamated with district councils.

At that time, all posts were declared vacant and everyone had to apply afresh to be employed by the council.

He was appointed housing and community service manager until 2001 when he was appointed acting chief executive.

He was appointed substantive chief executive in 2003, a position he held until his recent retirement.

During his tenure, Mr Chiwara saw the transformation of the district as it managed to score a lot in social service delivery, thereby advancing the welfare of the communities it serves.

His stay at the helm of Chaminuka Rural District Council had its fair share of challenges, among them being the 2005-2009 inflation era, which resulted in cash shortages and persistent price hikes.

This resulted in the decline of service delivery and a backlog in salaries, thereby affecting employees’ morale.

The farewell function was attended by the local political leadership, councillors, national chairman of the Chief Executive Forum of Rural District Councils in Zimbabwe Dr Edward Pise, Mashonaland Central provincial CEO’s chairman Mr Paradzai Munyede and fellow council CEOs.