THERE was drama at Mutare City Council on Tuesday after councillors forced the postponement of their full council meeting in protest against non-implementation of their resolutions and the absence of heads of departments including finance director Lloyd Musasa.
OBEY MANAYITI,STAFF REPORTER
Trouble started when councillors learnt that their resolution to pay August arrears to council employees was not implemented, but instead management went behind their back to pay November salaries.
The local authority is battling to clear salary arrears for April, May and October this year and the councillors had resolved to pay outstanding salaries for August.
“Our resolution was not followed and it means some of us here are not serious about this (salaries) issue,” said councillor Crispen Dube.
“We don’t want to be stubborn, but we can see that we are not being taken seriously here. What it then means is that you are reducing council business into a circus and I think we should just leave,” he said.
Another councillor, Kudakwashe Chisango said: “You did not come back to the finance committee to report that you are changing the resolutions that we made. This should not be a matter to fix councillors.
“We want answers and in the absence of responsible people then this meeting should be postponed.
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“What does it mean when we make resolutions and then management decides otherwise and does its own business? Why are we here then? We are just creating big problems.”
Efforts by chamber secretary Gladys Muneta to persuade the councillors to discuss other business besides that of salaries hit a brick wall, resulting in mayor Tatenda Nhamarare calling off the meeting.
Council’s receipt books have been in the red since June last year when Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo directed all local authorities to write off residents’ debts.
