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There is outrage over the controversial reinstatement of Mr Conrad Muchesa as director of urban planning services by the recently appointed caretaker commission, after he was sacked early this year by the cash-strapped Chitungwiza municipality.Mr Muchesa’s Grade 15 post was abolished in 2014, while his duties were transferred to the town planning department. His return has raised concern, with residents producing documents that allege he was corrupt and was not supposed to be part of the ongoing investigation.
Chitungwiza municipality is being headed by a three-member caretaker council led by former Civil Protection Unit director Mr Madzudzo Pawadyira, which was appointed by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.
This follows the suspension of all 25 Chitungwiza councillors, including the mayor Mr Phillip Mutoti, over allegations of corruption. Mr Pawadyira has come to Mr Muchesa’s defence, saying his move to reinstate him was aboveboard.
“I need efficiency in the running of Chitungwiza,” he said. “Mr Muchesa is a long standing planner for Chitungwiza and is equipped with a lot of information, as well as institutional memory of how planning in this town has evolved over the times.
“I need that information for me to make informed decision, that is why we brought him back.”
Mr Pawadyira said the former council’s decision to relieve Mr Muchesa of his duties had been queried by the ministry.
“The Local Government ministry is in receipt of the correspondences on the notice of intention to retrench Mr Muchesa by Chitungwiza municipality,” reads a letter from the ministry that was availed to The Herald by Mr Pawadyira.
“It gave Mr Muchesa the right to first refusal to the new post of town planner and he did write accepting to take up the post in early February 2015. The municipality subsequently proceeded to give him additional responsibilities in housing and community services in October 2016.
“Events turned up otherwise in late December 2016 and January 2017, wherein the municipality reneged on the earlier arrangements and sent Mr Muchesa home on three months’ notice.”
According to documents in The Herald’s possession, Mr Muchesa authorised the deduction of money for a residential stand whose ownership was for a third party from his salary, a move residents said was tantamount to fraud.
In the attached Chitungwiza Municipality voluntary deduction form, Mr Muchesa, whose employee number was 19039, authorised council on November 6, 2015 to effect a once-off deduction of $2 150, being the stand value for stand 10213 Manyame Park from his salary.
Mr Pawadyira said he would not comment on the issue and requested Mr Muchesa to respond. Mr Muchesa declined to comment when asked by The Herald. Mr Pawadyira said Mr Muchesa’s foes were against his reinstatement to block their investigations.
Chitungwiza Residents Association spokesperson Mr Marvelous Kumalo said they were against the reinstatement of Mr Muchesa.
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