LOCAL government minister Ignatius Chombo rejected the first budget submitted by Kwekwe City Council, saying they should first comply with government directive to slash town clerk Emanuel Musara’s salary.
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Mayor Matenda Madzoke confirmed his council had received a notification of the budget rejection and has since responded by cutting salaries of top management.
“Minister Chombo indeed rejected our budget because of our top management salary structure,” he said.
“He ordered that we should comply with the government directive and cut salaries, which we have now done and resubmitted the budget.”
According to a salary schedule prepared and submitted to the Local Government ministry by Musara, the town clerk earned nearly $80 000 a month including medical aid and other benefits.
The schedule did not include fuel allocation to his office, among other things, although he has denied that his pay cheque is that fat.
Madzoke refused to discuss the proposed new figures for Musara’s salary.
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“All I can say is we complied with the directive and changed the salary schedule before resubmitting the budget,” he said.
Kwekwe Ratepayers and Residents’ Association (KRRA) had written to the minister objecting to the budget arguing it was fraught with mathematical errors.
KRRA secretary Alex Homela said the rejection of the budget was a result of lobbying and demanded that council should address residents’ concerns.
“That budget had dubious figures. For instance we have council minutes which reflect a resolution to buy the town clerk a car worth $60 000, but the budget has a $120 000 provision for the same car,” he said.
