adminhas said.
Mr Tanyanyiwa said a candidate offered the post of finance director recently turned it down arguing the package was lower than he was getting elsewhere.
The municipality, which has one lawyer, chamber secretary Ms Omega Mugumbate, is also failing to attract legal practitioners.
Engineering director, Eng Alfonse Tinofa, is the only engineer, while the municipality with over two million people is serviced by only three council doctors.
Earlier, the municipality had also failed to attract an urban planner with candidates “making similar remarks” about poor remuneration.
To fill the post, the council had to poach from the civil service where salaries are generally lower than those offered in council. Mr Conrad Muchesa who was the Mashonaland East provincial planning officer landed the post of urban planner.
“It is a big challenge to retain people of such a caliber. We are still reeling from the effects of the brain drain prior 2008,” he said.
Mr Tanyanyiwa said Chitungwiza was competing for the few skilled personnel in urban management with big cities such as Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Gweru and Masvingo.
He said the most disturbing issue was that Chitungwiza was failing to attract employees from smaller towns such as Norton because they paid better.
“We must reward the skilled personnel across the board so that we attract and retain the best skills. Remember the person we offered the job for finance director turned down the offer because of poor salaries. We are now back on the market.
“It has been a challenge to attract and retain highly qualified staff. We are competing for the same professionals with Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare and Masvingo,” he said.
Online Reporter