A STORM is brewing at Chitungwiza Town Council over the sale of commercial stands in Unit G after it emerged that the stands had been offered to Zanu PF-aligned special interest councillors for next to nothing.
Report by Feluna Nleya
Information at hand shows that prospective buyers had offered competitive prices, as high as $9 000, for the stands, but council was planning to dole them out to the special interest councillors for just $5 000.
Sources yesterday claimed that at a meeting held by the education and housing committee on May 21, councillors rejected the deal favouring the special interest councillors.
But on May 30, councillors alleged that a special council meeting was convened where it was resolved that the stands be offered to the special interest councillors. “What they want to do, favouring special interest councillors, is not fair because they will pay far much less than what has been offered by the public,” Chitungwiza Residents and Ratepayers’ Association chairman Arthur Taderera said.
Councillors who spoke to NewsDay said they wanted to know the criteria used in short-listing the special interest councillors that would benefit from the move.
“There were a lot of people who had bid and the highest bidder is $9 000, but they offered the special interest councilors at $5 000,”a councillor said.
“Why did they give the stands to those who offered less money and not those who had more money? This raises eyebrows.”
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Contacted for comment, town clerk George Makunde said the matter had not yet been concluded and would be dealt with at a meeting scheduled for today.
“Council has not yet finalised on the issue of those stands,” Makunde said. “There is a full council meeting tomorrow (today) which will finalise on who will get the stands. I heard that the public had brought in their bids so we will finalise tomorrow, so you can call me then.”
The development comes at a time when the council has been struggling to pay its employees.
