GOKWE Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo last week ordered the reinstatement of Gokwe town secretary Tapiwa Marongwe, hardly 24 hours after he was suspended by the local authority over corruption and theft allegations.
In a letter dated February 13, town chairman Darlington Mudondo suspended Marongwe over allegations of flouting tender procedures, abuse of office and corruption.
Part of the suspension letter reads: You are advised by the office of the chairman that you are temporarily suspended from your duties to pave way for investigations . . . abuse of office in the procurement of additional street lighting materials which did not go to tender at the value of $62 000.
Councillors accused Marongwe of making unilateral decisions and running the local authority like private property.
Marongwe has a relationship with (a named company) which he continues to award orders without going to tender.
He bought himself a secondhand Toyota D4D at $52 000, but council had only approved that a vehicle worth $38 000 be bought for him, said a councillor who refused to be named.
Mudondo confirmed the suspension, but said it had since been set aside following intervention by acting provincial administrator only identified as S Marweyi, through a letter dated February 14.
We have learnt that your council has suspended the town secretary . . . it has however, been overtaken by the ministrys intervention in the spirit of taking corrective measures in your troubled council . . you are ordered to stop this development (suspension) and wait for the ministry to go through corrective measures.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Your suspension of the town secretary is of no basis and therefore null and void, wrote Marweyi. Provincial and district administrators take their instructions from the Local Government ministry.
Marongwe last Friday maintained his innocence and refuted all the five charges levelled against him by the local authority.
I am at work and not under any suspension. I have conducted my work above board and did my best to carry out full council resolutions with my management team, said Marongwe.
