Bikita Rural District Council (RDC) executive officer for finance, Never Mavhuna ,has been suspended from reporting for duty following the enforcement of a government directive that bars public officials facing criminal charges from carrying out their official responsibilities while their cases are before the courts.
The suspension follows a petition by the Bikita Residents and Ratepayers Association (BIRRA), which called on the council to take action against Mavhuna, who is currently out on bail pending the determination of his criminal case.
In a letter dated June 9, 2026, addressed to BIRRA, the council confirmed that it had implemented a ministerial directive issued on February 22, 2022, requiring local authorities to prevent employees with pending criminal cases from reporting for work.
“On 27 May 2026, the council, through the accounting officer, implemented the ministerial directive dated 22 February 2022 on Reporting for Work While on Bail in respect of the executive officer finance for Bikita Rural District Council,” the letter stated.
The council noted that, as a local authority operating under central government oversight, it is obligated to comply with directives and circulars issued by its parent ministry.
The directive was introduced in response to growing public concern over the increasing number of senior local authority officials being arrested on allegations ranging from criminal abuse of office to other corruption-related offences.
According to the directive, allowing officials facing criminal prosecution to continue performing their duties undermines public confidence in local governance and good corporate governance practices.
“My office has always maintained the position that, in the public interest and as a matter of sound corporate governance, any official with a matter pending before the courts should not continue with their day-to-day duties until acquitted,” part of the directive reads.
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The directive further instructs all local authorities to ensure that employees with unresolved criminal cases do not report for duty until their matters have been finalised by the courts.
Prior to the suspension, BIRRA had petitioned the council to place Mavhuna on suspension with full benefits pending the conclusion of criminal proceedings before the Bikita Magistrates’ Court.
The association also urged the council to appoint an acting finance officer to ensure uninterrupted service delivery during the suspension period.
Mavhuna was remanded out of custody and is expected to return to court on June 23, 2026.
He was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) over allegations that he and the late former Bikita RDC chief executive officer, Peter Chibi, registered a private company, Bikita Hanyanya Investments (Private) Limited, without obtaining the required ministerial approval.
Prosecutors allege that the two officials held equal shareholding in the company and subsequently awarded it several lucrative council contracts, including security services, bus levy collection, vehicle clamping, and veranda fee collection.
