CHITUNGWIZA town clerk Mr George Makunde has come under fire from residents for demanding a new vehicle worth $70 000 at a time when the municipality is struggling to pay workers. Chitungwiza Residents’ Trust spokesperson Mr Marvellous Khumalo said the city fathers should be more sensible and focus on key issues affecting the town.
“It is an issue we have been discussing that council should prioritise service delivery. This shows how greedy and selfish the town clerk is at this hour.
“How can he demand that council buys him a car when it is struggling to pay workers? While we appreciate that he should have a car, it should go in line with the revenue trend,” he said.
An urgent special council meeting set up to iron out outstanding issues that included the town clerk’s car issue was abandoned after Mr Makunde and Chitungwiza Mayor Phillip Mutoti ruled that there was nothing urgent on the agenda that called for such a meeting.
The agenda included the failure by council to pay workers a flat fee of $250, payment of gratuity, the issue of 30 percent from Clyna Trading and debt collection.
Mr Makunde said the vehicle was part of his conditions of service.
“My conditions of service allow me to have another vehicle after three years. The one I am using is a second-hand one which has travelled for about 191 000 km,” he said.
He said he was in dispute with Mrs Vengesayi over the vehicle issue.
“The meeting has been cancelled by the mayor because we have noted that the issues raised were not urgent and out of scope. We asked that the issues should follow the proper order,” he said.
Councillor Mutoti distanced himself from the scuffle, accusing Mrs Vengesayi of trying to use him to settle her scores with Mr Makunde.
“The meeting was called off yesterday by the town clerk after the chamber secretary came advising me to suspended Makunde. She could not tell me why she was lobbying for that and she has no basis of accusing the town clerk,” he said.
Mr Makunde accused Mrs Vengesayi of trying to topple him as the town clerk.
“She has been circulating a document. I think she wants to emulate the situation that took place at Town House in Harare and she is the one who wants my post,” he said.
Mrs Vengesayi denied harbouring any intentions of taking over office.
“I am not trying to topple anyone, but I want everyone to do his or her job. My role is to advice the town clerk, management and council. “When I advised the mayor, he was reluctant to take action,” she said.