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Ex-chamber secretary spills beans on Chitungwiza rot

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FORMER Chitungwiza Municipality chamber secretary Charity Maunga who resigned last week following her suspension over a slew of allegations has fired back, saying the city fathers were punishing her for facilitating the reversal of land deals they were interested in by the Commission.

FORMER Chitungwiza Municipality chamber secretary Charity Maunga who resigned last week following her suspension over a slew of allegations has fired back, saying the city fathers were punishing her for facilitating the reversal of land deals they were interested in by the Commission.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

In her resignation letter Maunga said councillors Shuddy Mapuranga, Darlington Musonza, Wilfred Gwekwete and Phanuel Katewa were harassing her for the things which had been done by the Madzudzo Pawadyira-led caretaker commission put in place by former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere.

Maunga said councillor Mapuranga had his 35-year lease to run a school, Faith Learning Centre reversed by the commission which found the lease period violated government policy on such allocations.

“I resigned not to be used as a pawn. It is actually strange that Doctor Makunde who retired other council employees at 60 years of age is being reengaged when he is now over the mandatory retirement age of 65 years,” Maunga submitted.

She said town clerk George Makunde transferred a total of $295 544 from Chitungwiza Municipality’s Metbank account for the management salaries but there was no record to show the salaries were paid as the salaries arrears for the work force accumulated.

“Makunde was paid $10 000 and $95 900 on January 4 and 16 respectively and to this date it has not been explained what these amounts were for. When these payments were made Makunde was barely four months into the job so he had not accumulated any salaries, wages or allowances to that extent,” she submitted.

Maunga said councillors, Mapuranga, Musonza and Katewa were desperate to reverse the resolution by the caretaker commission which reversed their interests in land deals hence the harassment to remove her from the post.

The former chamber secretary who was expected to appear before an independent tribunal to answer criminal abuse of office allegations said the tribunal was a farce as it was just to endorse what Makunde had told them.

She said the conduct of some councillors from the date they were reinstated in March this year acted in a manner which was calculated to destroy the relationship of confidence and trust between the employer and herself.