What has irked the residents is that the Councillor has allegedly openly told residents that those who refuse to support him will not be considered for any council jobs. It is not a councillor’s responsibility to employ people in council. Councillors are policymakers and cannot be allowed to usurp the legitimate powers of city employees.
This is a responsibility of the Town Clerk, through heads of departments, following proper recruitment procedures of council. It is reported that last week he went around the community with a lorry, and he was driving a Maroon Cam vehicle Registration Number ABT 3044, which has been at the centre of controversy, distributing 2kgs of sugar, beans, cooking oil and rice to nearly 108 people who were meant to elect a new party branch.
The HRT has no business commenting on party political activities. However, the mention of council employment opportunities as a tool to coerce people to support him have left us in the residents lobby concerned about his conduct, as a public servant.
Councillor Gomba was recently exonerated from allegations of corruption by the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development. We hope that he learns from his mistakes and avoid becoming another unethical politician abusing public authority.
Asked to comment on these serious allegations, Councillor Gomba said there has been bad blood between him and the HRT leadership in Glen Norah for a very long time and these allegations were unfounded.
I think you, the HRT, are trying to interfere in the affairs of the party, he said. It will take time for me to really open up because you guys have been lambasting council and exposing everything we do.
The councillor said in their party (MDC-T), there was an ongoing restructuring exercise and there was jostling for political power among people in his ward.
Gomba said: Since 2008, as the local councillor I have been trying my best to source food and fertiliser for my people. There has been previous support from Renaissance Merchant Bank and the Mayor of Harare, as well as the Mayor’s wife.
Only last week I sourced some four bags of Ammonium Nitrate fertiliser for peri-urban agriculture farmers. There is nothing new. As for the other issues I do not understand, I do not know.
Following the phone call, the Councillor then sent a text further explaining his source of wealth. He said: You guys need to know l am into business and before l was elected had a company which was awarded a contract to floor, roof and plaster a four classroom block at Ruvheneko Primary School. In terms of what I do in my ward, l have ensured that 120 people in a cooperative should be given residential stands in my ward, after all I formed that cooperative. Soon we will be allocating 70 home industrial stands.
Councillor Gomba was grateful to the HRT for affording him an opportunity to respond to the allegations raised against him, and encouraged others to do the same when confronted with this nature of allegations.
The HRT reiterates its policy that it will productively engage all stakeholders who have a role to play in the service of citizens, irrespective of which organisation they represent. Our aim is to ensure that the citizens are free and prosper in their lives.
Post published in: News