Chombos commissions must go – Zvidzayi

Inclusive, non-partisan boards, guided by professionalism, should take their place. Chombos commissions, allegedly set up to probe corruption cases in local authorities, have led to the firing of a host of MDC councillors nationwide – a move met with condemnation.
We do not condone corruption, said Zvidzayi. But the point is: each time there are allegations of misconduct in our local authorities, inclusive boards must be constituted to look into such matters. That way we will bring to an end a situation where partisan commissions are set up by Chombo and pass unfair resolutions, Zvidzayi told The Zimbabwean after a probe team was set up to look into the operations of Gweru City Council and decide whether there are reasonable grounds for suspicion of graft.
He said the teams brief was only to find out if there were grounds to put anyone to their defence. If allegations of misconduct are found at Gweru city council, we will come up with a board to further look into such matters, he said. The team includes F. Chokoyo, the Provincial Administrator of Masvingo, Lupane District Administrator E Chuma and E Pise the Chief Executive Officer of Makoni Rural District Council. All three are closely associated with Zanu (PF).
In the past, Zvidzayi added, Chombos commissions have led to unfair dismissal of four councillors in Harare, the Bindura mayor, and councillors in Chinhoyi and Rusape leading to service delivery plunging to its worst levels ever. Chombo himself is one person who should be probed in connection with the acquisition of his numerous properties in almost every city. Here he is simply bent on tarnishing the image of MDC councillors so as to influence the outcome of the next elections, one source said.