BY DUDUZILE NDLUKULWANI
Bulawayo residents have rapped councillors for demanding salary hikes at a time when the city faced a cocktail of challenges in service delivery.
The city fathers, through the Urban Association of Zimbabwe (Ucaz) demanded an increment in allowances of at least 250%.
From the proposal, Ucaz wants mayor’s allowances increased from ZWL$1 000 to ZWL$2 100, his deputy’s allowance to also increase from ZWL$660 to ZWL$1 650, committee chairpersons ZWL$1 575 from ZWL$450 and councillors to get ZWL$1 425 from ZWL$400.
In addition to these salary demands, the association also wants to be granted ZWL$80 allowance for breakfast and lunch from the current ZWL$50.
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association spokesperson Kelebone Khabo said as residents, they were concerned over the local authorities’ stance to demand an increase in allowances.
“Their request shows that we don’t have a calibre of people who want to serve, but want to use their term of office to enrich themselves and get benefits, which is a setback in terms of service delivery issues,” Khabo said.
Residents have, over the past months, expressed concern over the slow progress in projects being implemented in the city. They have also complained about service delivery, poor health facilities and water shortages that have been compounded by dilapidated infrastructure.
