Mutare deputy mayor accuses boss of corruption

MUTARE deputy mayor Councillor Collins Mukwada yesterday said councillors passed a vote of no confidence in the city mayor Councillor Tatenda Nhemarare on Monday because he is involved in corrupt activities and is grossly incompetent.

Clr Mukwada said he was behind the ouster of his boss, whom he accused of incompetence and failing to deal with gross irregularities within council matters.

He said Clr Nhemarare should be investigated for cases of corruption raised during the council meeting which sought to oust him.

Clr Mukwada claimed that there was tangible evidence, which pointed to corrupt activities within the MDC-led council.

“There is gross incompetence, gross irregularities, for which we have tangible evidence,” he said.

“Those things should be looked into and they can lead to whatever disciplinary action that can be taken by the minister.

“Where there is smoke, there a is fire.”

Clr Mukwada said he was going to meet other councillors to map the way forward so that they could officially move a motion towards their decision.

“We were supposed to hold a meeting today (Tuesday), but we decided to postpone it to another date since some of the councillors had attended a funeral wake,” he said.

“We are considering moving a motion to have the matter on the agenda and be discussed or petitioning our minister to take action on the matter.

“Everything will be recorded and minutes will be taken. We are also going to meet at a later date. We will then come up with something.”

On Wednesday last week, some councillors called for the stepping down of Clr Nhemarare during the full council meeting, a move which he described as unprocedural while citing the Urban Councils Act.

Clr Mukwada accused Clr Nhemarare of abusing his office and council resources, claiming and enjoying benefits which he was not entitled to.

“The problem is that he thinks that he is an executive mayor and that is why he is claiming some of the benefits that he is enjoying at the moment,” he said.

“He is a ceremonial mayor who should be called from home when the need arises. He would be summoned each time there are things to be done at the Civic Centre.

“Secondly, there is integrated resultbased management (RBM) starting from the town clerk downwards, which is being supervised by the mayor. When supervising RBM, there should be checks and balances with people whom you would be supervising.

“That alone is not being adhered to although it was said it should be implemented. The message was sent during the meeting (full council meeting).”

Clr Mukwada said they discussed corrupt activities, which involved Clr Nhemarare at Green Market in Sakubva and a piece of land which was allocated to him.

The piece of land was said to have been allocated to a church, but was later given to Clr Nhemarare.