Local pressure group, Gweru Agenda, spearheaded the petition which was handed over to Town Clerk Daniel Matau and Mayor Hamutendi Kombayi recently, with a copy going to Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo. The residents demanded that council “maintains a standstill on the proposed 2015 budget considering the harsh economic conditions currently bedevilling our country until there is justification to warrant a 35 percent increase from last year’s financial plan – in a public platform where all stakeholders are invited.”
This year’s budget stood at $24,5 million but for next year council is proposing to raise it to $31,8 million.
The residents also urged the council to “introduce a sustained zero tolerance campaign on corruption to weed out resource pilferage in your administration systems.”
In separate interviews, leaders of the residents said it is high time that transparency, accountability and service delivery issues are addressed.
“There are areas like Mkoba 18, 19 and 20 which go for four days without water in a single week. However they receive water bills that show they receive regular supplies. Murenganda and Munemo roads in Ascot are now impassable because they are severely damaged. Almost all suburbs do not get regular collection of refuse. Shumba youths centre in Mambo is now like a dumping site and so are places like Kudzanayi long distance bus terminus and TM omnibus rank,” said Reward Mhuri, Gweru United Residents Association secretary-general.
“We do not want to reach a level where we name and shame the top managers involved in corrupt activities especially in the revenue collection system. What we are saying is that they should address the issue now,” said Mhuri.
Mayor Kombayi said he could not comment on the matter as they had not yet deliberated on the issue. He promised to issue a statement once the issue had gone through the channels of the council and a position taken.
Post published in: Business