STRIKE RIPS BCC OFF $60 000

Kimpton Ndimande

THE Bulawayo City Council lost approximately $600 000 in revenue between Monday and Thursday when its workers went on strike over outstanding salaries, the financial director, Mr Kimpton Ndimande, revealed yesterday.

According to The Chronicle, Mr Ndimande said normally during the last week of the month, the local authority collects about$220 000 per day, but in the four days of the strike only $280 000 was collected.

He said the local authority got an average of $4,1 million per month, but this month it is estimated that it would get $3,1 million.

the concern here is that of the money lost due to the strike. Had the workers had been paid their salaries, all this money could have not been lost. with all this money that is being collected why is the local authority failing to pay its workers. So what is better? Paying the workers or lose a lot of money.

The other humiliating thing about the strike is that it was staged during the ZITF week, when there will be a lot of foreigners in the country. The service delivery in the city declined this week. What message will these foreign business people carry to their countries. Please BCC be serious about your duties.

source: The Chronicle

VENDING NOT A CRIME: CHOMBO

Local governance and rural housing and development minister has said that vending is not a crime but must be done through permission from the responsible authorities.

According to the Herald, after the famous operation Murambatsvina, only flower vendors along Jason Moyo way at Africa unit square have been legalised.

Due to this residents in Harare were complaining that the city councils were making their lives hard for they did not have any means of living

BCC ENDS STRIKE

Moses Mahlangu

Thaba Moyo

Bulawayo City Council workers are set to return to work today after ending a four-day strike that had crippled service delivery in the city which is hosting the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, NEWSDAY has revealed.

The strike over unpaid salaries has now been referred to the Ministry of Labour.



This looks to be a good imrovement on the side of the city council. the workers have shown maturity and commitment; showing that they really need to deliver. the button is now left to the ministry of labour to act swiftly in addressing the issues of the council workers.

Zimbabwe Urban Council Workers’ Union secretary-general Moses Mahlangu said the workers had decided to hand over the salary dispute to the Ministry of Labour after failing to come up with an agreement with council on the fourth day of their job action.

“However, this is still not over, our demands are still the same and if we are issued with a certificate of no settlement from the ministry, we will decide whether to go on a full-blown strike, arbitration or engage the deputy sheriff to attach property amounting to what council owes us,” he said.

Bulawayo mayor Thaba Moyo refused to comment on the dispute saying it was “a private and confidential issue”.

“All the workers will be back at work, the issue to be discussed is not their salaries, but what you should know is that they are back at work and that is all that matters,” he said.
 source: newsday.

TANYANYIWA FREED FROM HOUSE ARREST

Godfree Tanyanyiwa

The suspended Chitungwiza town clerk Godfree Tanyanyiwa has been freed from his house arrest.

tanyanyiwa has been arrested after being suspected of many fraud cases. he is said to have robbed his employer of money amounting to US$170 000 buying himself an expensive car and a house in the low density suburb of Chisipite.

According to Newsday, Tanyanyiwa has been given freedom to move around from his home, a freedom which he lost on his last court session.

He had been ordered not to leave his home unless he is attending court or reporting to the police. However now he has been freed from this house arrest.

But, although he has been granted this freedom, he is supposed to continue staying at his Mt pleasant home, in Harare. he is also still supposed to keep on reporting at the Avondale police station. This is now his arrest condition for his arrest.

At least the courts are showing commitment in trying to curb corruption. corruption has of late taken this company as a storm. however it is the hope of every citizen that the trial come soon and the rule of law will have its role to re-orient the corrupt clerk.

we are now tired of seeing our funds being squandered whilst we the public are anguishing in hunger and lack of quality service delivery. its high time where anyone who commites this crime will be brought to book and necessary actions be taken.

you can visit:Newsday   

MORE ONE WAYs FOR HARARE

city council putting the road markings

  

Harare motorists yesterday woke up to the city’s newest one-way road — South Avenue. Traffic on South Avenue now flows eastwards from Angwa Street to Wynne Street.

City workmen were yesterday busy putting the necessary road markings and traffic flow signs.

There was confusion as motorists drove west without noticing the new changes. Next weekend Inez Terrace will be converted so traffic will flow south from Nelson Mandela Avenue to Kenneth Kaunda Avenue.

The other roads to be converted    on a phased programme include Robert Mugabe Road, where traffic will flow east from Rotten Row up to the intersection with Fourth Street.

The third phase would see traffic on Leopold Takawira flowing north from Charter Road to Samora Machel Avenue, while that on Chinhoyi Street will flow south from Samora Machel to Charter Road.

The one-ways were approved in 1994 but could not be implemented owing to financial constraints.
source:Herald

SUSPENED MAYOR SPEAKS OUT

Mutare mayor Brian Leslie  Suspended Mutare mayor Brian Leslie James says fellow MDC councillors and management are avoiding a full audit of the city’s finances and implementation of agreed council resolutions. According to Daily News, James, who is also MDC Manicaland provincial treasurer, told hundreds of party’s supporters at a rally on Sunday that councillors were part of the rot affecting Mutare. James revealed that a probe team tasked by local government minister Ignatious Chombo to investigate him on allegations of misconduct had completed its work but he had not received a copy of the report. Acting Mutare mayor George Jerison said he would not respond to issues raised by a fellow MDC senior provincial member to party supporters at a rally. Source:

dailynews

POLITICAL DIFFERENCES A STUMBLING BLOCK

A fierce confrontation is looming between the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Ignatius Chombo and Harare City councillors over a proposal to employ more causal workers.

As a matter of concern, it has been noted that there is the issue of political differences that has come to play. The minister is ZANU PF and the Harare councilors are MDC. So this political difference has caused tension hence service delivery is compromised.

The minister is arguing that the council cannot hire workers to cut grass which has become a preying ground for thugs and rapists. On the other hand, the councilors are saying that more labour is required so that the work is done faster. The justification of the minister is that the money can be used in service delivery.

Both facts are good and valuable but the question is ‘When are they going to agree?’ this job needs to be done quickly otherwise more lives will be lost and more ladies raped. This shows the consequencies of disagreements over policies due to political differences.

In earlier blogs I have talked of how the inclusive government is failing to deliver due to political affiliations. However, it is good for the council and the ministry to put aside the political differences and work to achieve good results. It is my hope that they will soon come to an agreement and the work will be done.

Source: dailynews

BOOST FOR BCC

OPERATION Florian, a United Kingdom fire and humanitarian organisation, has donated two fire engines and equipment, worth more than $1 million to the Bulawayo City Council. However, the fire engines and equipment are still at the Beitbridge Border Post awaiting clearance.

This is a boost to the fire fighting department of the Bulawayo City Council (BCC). The fire fighting of almost all the city councils in Zimbabwe is at the moment lacking a lot to be desired. So it is my hope that the clearance will come as quickly as possible. Let me believe that politics of this land will not have a part to play in the clearance of this equipment. Over the years some donations have failed to find their way into Zimbabwe just because of some perceptions of the ruling party.

However as a concerned citizen I am calling upon the local authority to use the equipment in the proper way. Let no corruption to pierce into the usage of the fire equipment.
Source The Chronicle

IS GNU THE BEST

Mr Farai Nyandoro

The issue of the GNU has had a big blow on the local governance. Recently the MDC-T has suspended its mayor for Marondera, Farai Nyandoro from the party for five years for reportedly flouting tender procedures and wining and dining with senior ZANU PF officials in Mashonaland East province.

It seems as if although there is the GNU there is no harmony between the parties involved. GNU means that the parties must work together for the betterment of the country. However the parties are not working together and it seems they are not even willing to cooperate.

According to Newsday, A Mashonaland East provincial ad hoc party committee set up to probe Nyandoro pressed 12 charges against him and found him guilty of being too close to Zanu PF and abusing his office among other issues.

this shows that if a mayor of one party tries to work with other officials from the other party, his/her party will chuck him/her out. But is this the best way to conduct their duties. I think it is good if these parties would put their political affiliations aside and work for the betterment of the country.

Source newsday

WILL CORRUPTIN END

Councillors continue to abuse their offices. Recently, The MDC-T-dominated Karoi Town Council was under siege from residents who are demanding an audit of the allocation and sale of stands, amid allegations councillors bought large pieces of land for a song.

According to Newsday, Some councillors reportedly got as much as five commercial stands and paid as little as $12 for each. Residents also accused councillors of allocating themselves infill residential stands contrary to Local Government minister Ignatius Chombos order stopping the sale of open spaces in suburbs across the country.

With such levels of corruption how can the country develop? This brings us to the question that ‘do these councilors know why they are in office?’ it seems as if they are there to fill their stomachs and not to serve the public.

Source www.newsday.co.zw

NOT ABOVE THE LAW

On the 21st of March Newsday carried a story wich was saying that Bulawayo City Council had disconnected water from the Zanu PF Bulawayo provincial headquarters over an unpaid debt of about $14 000.

Although Zanu PF politburo member Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, who is the political head of the party in the Bulawayo province denied that Davies Hall had been disconnected, party insiders said officials had made an illegal reconnection.

“In the PCC meeting on Sunday, the treasury was tasked to raise at least $6 000 to be paid to council for the water to be restored at the offices.

“The meeting was held when there was no water,” said a party insider.

The revelations came days after the Bulawayo High Court ordered Zanu PF to pay more than $14 000 it owes council in rent and rates arrears or risk having its property attached.

this is a job weldone on the part of the city council. everyone or every organisation must pay its rentals regardless of its position in the country. Noone is above the law.

on the part of ZANU PF it is so down heartening that the ruling part is failing to pay its depth and at the same time they expect the local authority to perform at its best.

this also shows that in as much as people blame the city council, they must also know that big blocks in the country are also contributing to the poor service delivery.

source: http://www.newsday.co.zw/

IS THIS DEMOCRACY

Cde ignitious Chombo.

The Zimbabwean minister for local governance cde Ignitious Chombo have said that should council pass a resolution that he deems unfit or not in the public interest, he retains the to cause its suspension.

This sentiment has grabbed my attention and I have decided to share an insight in regard to this.

Zimbabwe claims to be a democratic country. Democracy entails that there is rule by law not individuals. Secondly democracy is a people driven type of governance. As such the sentiments by the minister of local governance raise concerns on whether Zimbabwe is really a democratic country.

Councilors are voted into office by the public. This means that the people who voted them in are the ones that must also remove them from their offices through free and fair elections. So the minister has no power what so ever to cause suspension of councilors.

The effect of the power that the minister is claiming to have is that the councilors will just try to serve the interests of the minister so as to keep their offices. Thus the public interest suffers.

Moreover, the minister, who is he to determine what is in the public interest and what is not? What criteria does he use to say that this is public interest and this is not? Is it documented somewhere or he can just wake up one day and decide according to his feelings of the day.

The public themselves retain the power to determine what is in their interest. This can only be done through elections in which the public decide whether to remove someone from office or to keep them. Let democracy prevail and do not put personal or partisan feelings into governance.

For further reference refer to our world leader.com/Zimbabwe. www.ourworldleader.com
image source www.imns.com

Chitungwiza a gabbage zone

As a follow up to the story of the arrest of Chitungwiza town clerk, Mr. Geofrey Tanyanyiwa,  I have decided to analyse service delivery for the arguably fastest growing town in Zimbabwe.

When one gets to Chitungwiza the first thing that welcomes you is garbage.  There are heaps of improperly disposed litters. The question that arises is,‘what is the reason for not collecting garbage?’

Whilst the officials are busy squandering money, residents are living in unhealthy conditions. There had been outbreaks of different kinds of diseases in this town. The focus had always been on the ways to cure the diseases but not addressing the cause of the disease. Then we begin to wonder whether people say things for granted for it is everyone’s song that ‘prevention is better than cure’.

So in other words the authorities are not concerned about the well being of the public but themselves. It is now a call on the local authority to change behavior and start doing their job properly.

There had been a poll in regard to this issue in The Herald of March 2, 2012. People were supposed to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on whether Chitungwiza city council had perfomed good over the years. It is up to to judge. What is your take on this one? Pass your comments.

 For further details you can visit www.herald.co.zw