adminTanaka Nyambo
THE Harare City Council has once again been criticised for using funds on workshops which do not benefit residents.
The Council has run several workshops, in various locations, including Mutare, Masvingo, Kadoma, Nyanga and Victoria Falls.
They have been described as a “spending spree” by Harare Residents Trust executive director, Precious Shumba.
He has called on residents to hold the council accountable and punish corrupt officials who are benefitting personally from allowances and free holidays.
Shumba says the 2018-2023 council has been the worst in many respects.
“We urge ratepayers to punish corrupt individuals who have been unashamedly spending money to benefit them personally in allowances and freely paid holidays by the council, without any tangible outcomes from their participation in those workshops.
“There is a huge outcry from disgruntled residents over the rampant abuse of council resources by outgoing councillors in what passes to be maximising on the last supper for the bulk of the Harare councillors.
“Dozens of council officials are also on a spending spree to cash in on allowances,” said Shumba.
He added:
“They are greedy, overzealous and unaccountable to ratepayers.
“Mayor Jacob Mafume has failed dismally to control the number of workshops that councillors and officials attend outside Harare.
“Residents should reject these unaccountable councillors who have no shame attending several workshops in expensive venues while the City of Harare is failing to collect garbage, provide water, street lighting, a functional billing system and poorly equipped district offices.
“Most of the district officers have no vehicles to use and neither do they have computers.
“The level of extravagance is unmatched in the history of the City of Harare.”
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge