BY KENNETH NYANGANI
MUTARE City Council has resolved to apply for borrowing powers to raise $158 million to finance its capital projects.
The city’s financial records are shambolic, and it now wants to borrow after it cleared its debts.
Council made the resolution recently after clearing its five-year audit backlog.
The administration at the Mutare City Council assumed officer in 2017 when council books of accounts were already in the red.
Former Mutare town clerk Obert Muzawazi was forced to resign in 2017 by former Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandiitawepi Chimene over corruption allegations.
Joshua Maligwa took over as the town clerk and he ensured that the debts were cleared.
Maligwa unfortunately succumbed to COVID-19 on January 5 this year.
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Antony Mutara is the acting town clerk.
Council spokesperson Spren Mutiwi told NewsDay that the city was seeking borrowing powers.
“Since 2014, council audits were in shambles and the new administration made a commitment to clear the outstanding external audits which had gone for five years without being administered,” he said.
“As you aware, you cannot borrow when your audits are not in good shape.
“We have since crafted an advertisement where the City of Mutare made a resolution to apply for borrowing powers to finance capital projects to the tune of $158 million once the (Local Government) ministry grants us borrowing powers.”
Mutiwi said some of the projects that the city wanted to embark on included the purchase of two water bowsers, a fire tender, two refuse trucks, an excavator, a 3,5-tonne truck and a dump trailer.
The city also wants to embark on periodic road maintenance, construction of a flea market and Nyakamete and Fern Valley water projects.
