Rural councillors demand salaries
RURAL district councillors have said they deserve a salary just like National Assembly members who receive both a salary and a sitting allowance.
The rural district councillors receive a sitting allowance only.
Addressing district council chairpersons at a meeting in Masvingo yesterday, Association of Rural District Councils of Zimbabwe president Councillor Killer Zivhu said in other countries in the SADC region, councillors were given monthly salaries, the same as other elected politicians.
He appealed to the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to take serious consideration on councillors’ welfare.
The three-day indaba, which began yesterday, saw 60 rural district councils’ chairpersons attending under the theme, “Repositioning RDCs to spearhead socio-economic transformation in the new dispensation”.
“I think, as councillors, we deserve to earn salaries and not just allowances,” said Clr Zivhu
He said the responsible ministry should make it mandatory that all councils give their councillors salaries, as part of addressing their plight.
“We call upon the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to send circulars to RDCs over that issue so that councils give their councillors salaries,” said Clr Zivhu.
“Presently, some councillors get allowances of $30 after having participated in an activity and that is not fair considering the amount of work and travel they do.
“Throughout the SADC region and other countries in Africa, councillors get salaries, so it won’t be a new phenomenon to Zimbabwe.”
Clr Zivhu, who is also president of the Zimbabwe Local Government Association which combines rural district councils and urban councils, said councillors were elected in the same way as National Assembly members.
“We cannot have a scenario where councillors are treated differently with senators and MPs when all are elected in the same manner,” he said.
“We want local authorities to cater for the welfare of their councillors.
“We believe under this new dispensation led by our President Emmerson Mnangagwa, it will be done.”
Clr Zivhu called on Government to include council chairpersons as ex-officio in commissions that run the affairs of local authorities after the dissolution of councils.
This, he said, would always serve the interest of councillors until new ones were elected. Clr Zivhu said councillors should also be given packages like residential stands and allowed to purchase them at low prices of not more than 10 percent of the total price.
He said councillors deserved to be thanked for the great job they do in rural areas, helping in the development of communities.