…Mayor disowns Chiteme …. says Chiteme will not be allowed to attend a single meeting in Kernen
Lloyd Shunje
Chaos is reigning at the city council ahead of trip to Germany after ward eight (8) councillor Against Chiteme was allegedly imposed on the delegation which initially included the city Mayor Hubert Fidze, Town Clerk Adolf Gusha, ward 10 councillor Lovemore Mufamba and city Treasurer Mrs Dube.
The full council resolved to send four people to Germany on 10 June 2015 but it has since emerged that Zanu PF legislator (name supplied) has instructed the Town Clerk to include Chiteme in the delegation.
Gusha vehemently denied the inclusion of Chiteme in the delegation but the mayor said he was shocked to meet Chiteme at German embassy where he also wanted to apply for Visa with others.
” No no Chiteme is not going to Germany in as far as I know. He (Chiteme) is not part of the delegation and no MP has tried to impose anyone on us, ” Gusha said recently.
However, Fidze confirmed that Chiteme was in Harare applying for Visa. Fidze insisted that all will not be well with ward eight councillor in the foreign land as they plan to treat him like a stranger in Kernen.
“I saw him (Chiteme) here in Harare and I was shocked. I am going to investigate and find out where he got the money but I want to believe that he was using personal funds. If I discover that council funded him, I am sure we will take stern action against the management.
“I insist Chiteme is not part of us, he is going on a private trip and because of that, Chiteme will never be allowed to attend a single meeting in Germany,” said Fidze.
Under Fire … Town Clerk Adolf Gusha
Ward Five councillor Daniel Mberikunashe fumed over the issue saying Gusha was undermining council resolutions.
“No one is happy about this issue. We are going to confront Gusha today (Tuesday) because we will never allow council to be run by outsiders. No councillor should be allowed to join the official delegation even if that person say he or she will be using own money,” said Mberikunashe.
Tell Zimbabwe is reliably informed that all the delegates including Chiteme received US$ 570 from the council on Sunday as allowances and Visa application fees. However, upon arriving in Harare on Monday, the delegation was instructed to make an appointment at the German embassy. They have since made an appointment and they are supposed to go back to Harare Wednesday and they will be pocketing similar allowances for the second time.
Mayor Hubert Fidze
Sources said they are going to use US$ 1200 in air fares per person.
” Only the mayor and Town Clerk will be given accommodation by the hosting city,” said another source.
Masvingo Residents Trust (MRT) has attacked the council for sending a lot of people to foreign assignments.
“The MRT and Masvingo residents in general are highly appalled by the rampant abuse of public funds by the Masvingo City Council management in the guise of some foreign trips that are not helping a rate payer.
Although the cause remains noble, we highly denounce the inclusion of many people who do not add value to the council. A maximum number of three people were enough for the trip. We know that the management are holders of positions in Zanu PF but for God’s sake, we urge them not to take directives from MPs who are failing to address problems in their constituencies,” said MRT Programmes Manager Prosper Tiringindi in a press statement released on Tuesday.
Chiteme who is also a renowned prophet and known as Madzibaba Reginai could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone remained unreachable.
Meanwhile a delegation of six members from the council will be going to the city of Kitwe next month on an exhibition mission to be in held in Zambia. Kitwe is also another twin city for Masvingo.local
