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| Former City of Masvingo Town Clerk, Adolf Gusha |
…after US$43 000 goes missing
Upenyu
Chaota
Chaota
The City of Masvingo is at pains to explain the source
of funds it used to complete a 200-metre stretch of tarred road leading to the
Nyaradzo Life Assurance Company offices after the company had paid the local
authority US$43 000 in 2016 but the project was never started until late last
year.
of funds it used to complete a 200-metre stretch of tarred road leading to the
Nyaradzo Life Assurance Company offices after the company had paid the local
authority US$43 000 in 2016 but the project was never started until late last
year.
The former Town Clerk, Adolf Gusha-led management is
said to have arm twisted Nyaradzo to give them the money to tar the road but
the project was never done prompting an inquiry from councillors.
said to have arm twisted Nyaradzo to give them the money to tar the road but
the project was never done prompting an inquiry from councillors.
It was established that Nyaradzo had initially offered
to tar the road using their own resources in exchange of land next to their
offices which houses the city’s fire department.
to tar the road using their own resources in exchange of land next to their
offices which houses the city’s fire department.
The then Hubert Fidze-led council turned down the
offer but management is said to have clandestinely went behind the backs of
councillors and demanded US$43 000 for them to do the project.
offer but management is said to have clandestinely went behind the backs of
councillors and demanded US$43 000 for them to do the project.
Nyaradzo is said to have given the money to council
management in 2016 in anticipation that the road will be tarred but work never
started.
management in 2016 in anticipation that the road will be tarred but work never
started.
Realising that the council had not started the
project, Nyaradzo confronted the council and threatened not to pay their bills
until the road has been attended to.
project, Nyaradzo confronted the council and threatened not to pay their bills
until the road has been attended to.
Pressed by councillors in 2019, three years after a
payment was made, city engineer Tawanda Gozo said the project was never started
because of the rains.
payment was made, city engineer Tawanda Gozo said the project was never started
because of the rains.
“Nyaradzo paid us the money in 2016 but we have not
been able to embark on the project because of the rains. Whenever we wanted to
start the project, we were disturbed by rains,” said Gozo.
been able to embark on the project because of the rains. Whenever we wanted to
start the project, we were disturbed by rains,” said Gozo.
After the inquiry, the council began preliminary work
for the project but residents demanded to know where the money was coming from.
for the project but residents demanded to know where the money was coming from.
There was an outcry from residents after there was a
sudden increase in their water bills, a development sources said was meant to
raise funds for the Nyaradzo road project.
sudden increase in their water bills, a development sources said was meant to
raise funds for the Nyaradzo road project.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance
(Murra) spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba said the council needs to explain where
they got the money for the Nyaradzo road project because what Nyaradzo paid was
blown by management.
(Murra) spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba said the council needs to explain where
they got the money for the Nyaradzo road project because what Nyaradzo paid was
blown by management.
“The council received US$43 000 from Nyaradzo and they
were silent about it. The councillors did not even know about the transaction.
were silent about it. The councillors did not even know about the transaction.
“We only got to know about the money when the
councillors quizzed management about it only to be given a lame excuse that it
has been raining,” said Mtimba.
councillors quizzed management about it only to be given a lame excuse that it
has been raining,” said Mtimba.
Mtimba said residents woke up to highly inflated bills
for the services they were barely getting.
for the services they were barely getting.
“The council inflated bills to finance the road
project whose money they had blown. Heads have to roll at the council,” said
Mtimba.
project whose money they had blown. Heads have to roll at the council,” said
Mtimba.
Former mayor Fidze said he was unaware that Nyaradzo
had paid the money for the road project when they had turned down the offer.
had paid the money for the road project when they had turned down the offer.
“My council turned down the Nyaradzo offer and I am
surprised Nyaradzo paid the money. The council was supposed to use its resources
to tar the road but wed did not have them.
surprised Nyaradzo paid the money. The council was supposed to use its resources
to tar the road but wed did not have them.
“Nyaradzo had the resources but the land they wanted
in exchange was not a good deal for us,” said Fidze.
in exchange was not a good deal for us,” said Fidze.
Gusha has since retired and the current management led
by current Acting Town Clerk Edward Mukaratirwa has refused to comment on the
issue.
by current Acting Town Clerk Edward Mukaratirwa has refused to comment on the
issue.
The Nyaradzo road project was completed late last year
but the source of funds remains a mystery.
but the source of funds remains a mystery.
