SCORES of Gweru residents, who turned their homes into lodges to accommodate Zanu PF delegates during the party’s 13th national people’s conference last December, have not yet been paid for their service and were saddled with huge utility bills that accumulated during the period. REPORT BY BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER
The residents told NewsDay that they were failing to settle the huge utility bills.
Some 10 householders, mostly widows with properties located within the vicinity of the party’s $6 million conference centre in Greenvale, Gweru, said they provided accommodation facilities for the Zanu PF delegates, but were yet to be paid for the services.
“They came to us through a Joshua Chamboko and asked us to provide bed and breakfast to Zanu PF delegates at $30 per head per night, but till today we are yet to receive our payments,” said one of the property owners who declined to be named.
She said she provided accommodation to 15 delegates for four nights and treated them to breakfast during their stay incurring huge bills in the process.
“I bought eggs, canned beans and other goodies to pamper them with the hope of getting $1 800 from Zanu PF, but that money is yet come and it looks like they are not going to pay anytime soon. I am now faced with huge water and electricity bills which I cannot pay,” she said.
Zanu PF Midlands deputy provincial administrator Allen Magura, who is in charge of making the payments, confirmed that the party was still to honour payments for delegates accommodation, adding the delay had been caused by President Robert Mugabe’s annual vacation to the Far East.
“All the money released by the party is signed for by President Mugabe and he was away on leave, so that money could not be released. But at the moment I am told he is back and has signed for the money to be released,” he said.
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Mugabe returned from his annual vacation last week. Zanu PF national spokesperson Rugare Gumbo could neither confirm nor deny that his party had failed to pay for services rendered.
“I am not aware of the complaints or that the money has not yet been paid because it has not been discussed with me. I will have to check with (Nicholas) Goche who is in charge of welfare and housing in the party,” he said.
