KWEKWE — There were fireworks during a full council meeting when irate councillors summarily fired a minute taker from the chambers over alleged incompetence amid claims she was illegally employed.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
The woman, whose name was not immediately available, was according to mayor Matenda Madzoke employed under mysterious circumstances and stands accused of failing to deliver on her mandate.
“Yes she was fired by the councillors and they had a point because first we have a directive from the minister which freezes all posts and for some time we have been pushing to have people employed at our works department but management has refused basing on that directive, yet some two months ago they employed this lady, what happened to the directive,” Madzoke said.
Audit committee acting chairman councillor Kando Lawe was forced to withdraw his committee minutes alleging they were “doctored” and did not reflect the deliberations which took place on February 9.
“We had two committee chairpersons who withdrew their minutes owing to the grave mistakes made by the typing pool lady, this was the audit and housing committee, but the acting chair of the housing committee later agreed to have the minutes discussed because there were pressing matters,” Madzoke said.
Acting town clerk John Mhike reportedly tried to deflect the issue calling on councillors not to discuss the contentious matter because it was not on the agenda. But councillors would have none of it telling management that the woman should not set her foot into any council meeting.
“We said she should not attend any of our meetings be it in committee or full council chiefly because of her incompetence in writing the minutes,” Madzoke said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
The ire of councillors was raised mainly because management chose to employ a typist at a time Kwekwe city councils’ entire road works department has five employees instead of 20.
“It’s true we have just five people in that department, I am told they could now only be three after the other two retired, so we are unhappy,” he said.
