GWERU residents have petitioned Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere to fire all council managers and appoint a new team to address the issue of maladministration and corruption.
by XOLISANI NCUBE
The call came shortly after Gweru City Council’s caretaker commission chairman Tsunga Mhangami suspended town clerk Daniel Matawu over allegations of presiding over a corrupt administration.
The residents, through their lobby group, Gweru Residents’ Forum (GRF), called on Kasukuwere to wield the axe on all top officials who worked with Matawu.
“As the GRF, we contend that the problems bedevilling Gweru City Council emanate from the management style that the chief executive adopted. Matawu embodies a legacy of gross mismanagement of council resources, creation of one centre of power where he has authority over the departments with acting managers,” the residents said.
“The exclusion of residents from key service delivery issues has led to residents’ resistance to pay rates as the residents cannot pay for services which the council seldom provides. Failure to pay rates and the attendant corruption has seen employees going for more than 12 months without salaries.
“As GRF, we further contend that Matawu does not possess the qualities and acumen expected of a town clerk. His leadership style does not inspire the residents of Gweru and GRF is of the view that his suspension be extended to an outright dismissal as he has failed to turn around the fortunes of the city.”
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Kasukuwere yesterday assured the residents that the Mhangami-led commission had been mandated to investigate and “remove all the bad apples” from the local authority.
