HARARE residents yesterday lashed out at Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere for allegedly causing council to incur more than $70 000 in salary arrears to suspended town clerk, James Mushore.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
Kasukuwere suspended Mushore shortly after his appointment on the grounds that his appointment had not been done procedurally.
Combined Harare Residents’ Association chairman, Mfundo Mlilo, yesterday said it was unfair for residents’ money to be spent on a town clerk sat at home and another one acting in his capacity.
“It is disheartening that, as residents, we are being made to pay for political fights between the minister and his Zanu PF party, on one hand, and the mayor and his councillors on the other. If the minister is serious about fighting plunder of public resources, he should have ensured that residents are not made to pay someone sitting at home,” he said.
“To be advised that Mushore is being paid for doing nothing is not just an insult to ratepayers and residents of Harare, but I believe the city fathers and the Local Government Board (LGB) are taking us for a ride.”
Mushore was handpicked by the local authority to replace Tendai Mahachi after he outclassed 140 candidates, who had applied for the city’s top job, but Kasukuwere rejected him, citing the manner in which he was contracted. Mushore signed a two-year contract, but was immediately sent on forced leave after the government rejected his appointment.
Employed on April 1 this year, Mushore is entitled to $10 457 per month, in addition to fuel, airtime, accommodation and transport allowances.
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Harare mayor, Bernard Manyenyeni, confirmed that council owed Mushore over $70 000 in salary arrears.
“He is supposed to earn $10 457 and benefits plus a car, according to my reading of the judgment, which was reported in NewsDay,” he said.
Harare Residents’ Trust co-ordinator, Precious Shumba blamed councillors for the current crisis.
“(Acting town clerk) Josephine Ncube is acting and definitely being paid, and with the recent decision by the High Court on Mushore, there is evidence that partisan decision-making will continue to haunt Harare City Council. This is costly to the ratepayer and the politicians are only concerned with power and authority,” he said.
Kasukuwere was unavailable for comment.
