admin
Midlands Correspondent
SHURUGWI residents have accused the council management of breaching sections of the Urban Councils Act by attempting to ambush the system through buying top of the range vehicles for themselves before the new councillors are sworn in.The accusations came after Shurugwi Town Council recently placed a tender in the Press for the supply of two top of the range vehicles for the management.
Residents who spoke to Chronicle on Wednesday said the move by council management was in breach of the Urban Councils Act.
“The new councillors are yet to be sworn in but the management is already making important decisions such as buying vehicles.
“We feel this is not proper. They should have waited for a full council to deliberate on the issue. The council management is breaching a section of the Urban Councils Act,” said one councillor elect who requested not to be named.
A resident of Shurugwi, Mr Peter Mataruse, said the town council management was taking advantage of the existing vacuum to serve their interests.
He said the council management hastily moved to buy cars for themselves ahead of the coming in of the Zanu-PF dominated council.
“They are very much aware that Zanu-PF has zero tolerance to corruption hence the move to buy the cars before the swearing in of councillors,” said Mr Mataruse.
An immediate former Shurugwi councillor who requested anonymity said the town secretary, Mr Solomon Siziba, had no authority to approve the tender after the last full council meeting recommended that he be suspended for alleged abuse of funds.
“Mr Siziba is aware that in our last full council meeting we recommended that he be suspended over issues to do with how the council business was being run. Under those circumstances he has no authority to approve the tender. I still have the minutes of the last full council meeting which highlight this. It is my hope that the new councillors will reverse the move once they start sitting,” said the former councillor.
However, Mr Siziba said the buying of vehicles by the council was above board as the council was being run by a commission.
“What these people who are against the idea of buying the cars should understand is that the council is being run by a commission led by the District Administrator. Everything that was done by the council was above board,” he said.
Mr Siziba refuted allegations that the last full council meeting had recommended that he be suspended.
However, outgoing Shurugwi Town Council chairperson, Mr Bulle Madzitire, also said the last full council meeting had recommended the suspension of Mr Siziba.
“It was indeed at our last full council meeting that we recommended that he be suspended. However, it is best that you get in touch with him since I am no longer in council. I am still in possession of our last full council minutes that confirm this,” he said.
Online Reporter