Ex-chamber secretary drags municipality to court

FORMER Chitungwiza Municipality chamber secretary Ms Priscilla Vengesai has sued the council for failing to comply with a court order to pay her outstanding benefits comprising money for a residential stand and school fees amounting to $247 000.

Ms Vengesai, who was dismissed by council after being found guilty of breaching conditions of her contract in 2015, won her case in February this year.

The local authority was ordered to pay her outstanding salary arrears of $65 000, while school fees and money for a residential stand amounting to $247 000 was to be paid by end of March.

Ms Vengesai visited council offices on Monday in the company of police officers seeking to have the Town Clerk Dr George Makunde arrested for defying the court order.

Ms Vengesai said she had sued the council because it was dragging its feet on paying her.

“Yes, I sued the council for contempt of a court order,” she said.

“They have not yet paid anything towards the fees and the stand, but are only honouring the payment plan for salary arrears.

“According to our agreement, they must pay for all these things.”

Dr Makunde said they had been paying the school fees except for the stand, which was contested by council.

“We were sued by Vengesai, but I dismiss her claims that we have not been paying school fees for her children since we made a payment last month,” he said.

“However, we could not pay for the stand because its value was contested by council and the matter is pending before the courts of law as we speak.

“Her coming with police to pick me up in my personal capacity was an abuse of power, it shows that her charges are more personal than business.”

Ms Vengesai was suspended for allegedly mobilising councillors to pass a vote of no confidence on her superiors.

It was reported that a special council meeting that was convened then agreed to dismiss Ms Vengesai and the Local Government Board approved her dismissal.