LOCAL Government minister Ignatius Chombo last week crowned Kwekwe with two accolades — the best run local authority and the best managed water and sewer reticulation system in the country.
Report by Blessed Mhlanga
Bindura Town Council came second to Kwekwe as the best run local authority, while Victoria Falls scooped the top prize for best maintained road network in the country with Kwekwe coming second, according to the ministry’s 2012 evaluation.
Presenting the awards to fellow councillors during a full council meeting on Tuesday, Kwekwe mayor Shadreck Tobaiwa said the minister acknowledged the sound financial management systems employed by Kwekwe.
“The minister urged the other 33 urban councils to come down here so that they can learn from us. We emerged the best at the banquet held on April 25 at Rainbow Towers (in Harare),” Tobaiwa said.
Chamber Secretary Lucia Mkandla said the awards were a result of town clerk Emmanuel Musara’s dedication to principles of good corporate governance and zero tolerance to corruption.
“The town clerk has guided us to these awards because of his management style. We owe this to him. We also owe this to councillors who have continued to work well with management and this relationship has resulted in this recognition,” Mkandla said.
Kwekwe’s recognitions came despite a protracted wrangle between council and the residents and ratepayers’ association over the budget and unchecked spending at Town House. Residents have approached Chombo and requested his ministry to send probe teams which produced damning reports against the local authority.
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Chombo is under fierce attack from the MDC-T for firing elected councillors and mayors throughout the country, in a move they believe is meant to neutralise their support in urban centres where the party enjoys majority support.
He has wielded the axe in Gwanda, Harare, Gokwe and recently Mutare ostensibly to protect residents.
