City trio off the hook
THREE Harare councillors who were facing allegations of flouting tender procedures in awarding a $13,8 million sewer deal to a local company, have been cleared of the charges by a tribunal set up by Government.
Councillors Urayayi Mangwiro, Wilton Janjazi and Paula Macharangwanda were last year suspended over their alleged involvement in the opaque deal.
Council awarded a contract to Energy Resources Africa Consortium (ERAC) for the rehabilitation of Firle Sewerage Works before the company was formally registered and, since 2011, proceeded to pay it millions despite not having signed a contract.
Then Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Saviour Kasukuwere suspended the trio over misconduct allegations and appointed a three-member committee to investigate the matter.
Top lawyer Advocate Thabani Mpofu chaired the three-member tribunal, which acquitted the trio of any wrongdoing.
“The effect of these findings is that the three councillors are not guilty as charged. They are entitled to retain their seats in council. The law must in that regard take effect. In the result we hold as follows, the charges against Councillors Janjazi, Urayayi and Macharangwanda be hereby dismissed in toto.
“Councillors Janjazi, Urayayi and Macharangwanda are found not guilty and are consequently acquitted. There shall be no order as to costs,” reads part of the judgment.
In its terms of reference, the tribunal was tasked to establish whether council’s tender procedures were flouted in the award of the tender to ERAC for the rehabilitation of Firle Treatment Works in 2010 and, if so, which provisions specifically.
It was also supposed to establish the specific tasks and/or levels of responsibility of each of the parties involved in council’s tendering processes.
The acquittal comes barely two weeks after Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni urged Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo to lift suspensions imposed on three councillors by his predecessor.
He said the councillors should be able to represent their wards while the matter was being finalised.
The trio was facing charges of coming up with an unpriced bill of quantities for the rehabilitation works and neglecting to request the bidder to submit the required documents in breach of the provisions of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter29:15).