20100531
allafrica

Harare city councillors allege Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda and his council -- which they are part of themselves -- are the weakest administrators to lead Town House because of failure to rein in senior officials failing to implement resolutions.

Several councillors who spoke last Thursday during a full council meeting bemoaned council's lack of power to cause officials to work and implement their resolutions.

Deputy Mayor Clr Emmanuel Chiroto said the council was a toothless bulldog.

"I think we have been toothless for a very long time. We cannot allow this anarchy to continue. Heads should start rolling," he said, in reference to reports that some officials were abetting corruption and allowing the sprouting of illegal structures including flea markets.

He was supported by Clr Peter Moyo, who added that the council should not be outdone by the Sekesayi Makwavarara-led Commission that suspended several heads of departments for defying directives to implement resolutions.

"If the commission could fire seven directors, why cannot this democratically-elected council do the same?" he said.

Councillors were unhappy with the operations of some departments, especially the urban services and housing and community services departments.

Concerns were that council was failing to collect all revenue due to it because it was using an outdated valuation roll, which does not include new buildings and improvements made on the properties.

Clr Thomas Muzuva said the valuation roll in use was last updated 12 years ago when some leading wholesalers in South Avenue used a single shop but had now acquired several properties on the same street but this was not captured on the city billing system.

"Mayor, you are leading the least powerful council of all time. I am still young and have nothing to lose. Everyone will always say the mayor and his councillors are failures," said Clr Muzuva.

He said even if some of the councillors were to "walk naked", it was the image of Mr Masunda that would be at stake.

Mr Masunda has on several occasions blocked moves by councillors to cause the suspension of senior officials.

The councillors say each time debate on the ineffectiveness of council was raised, Mr Masunda quickly interjected and changed the topic.
Clr Casper Takura said the councillors were just acting as window dressers as they did not have the power to change anything. "We are just window dressers. We are allowing the officials to do as they please," he said in reference to an issue in which Zimphos was allegedly abstracting water from Cleveland Dam in violation of a council resolution.

Clr Panganayi Charumbira said some senior officials needed to be reminded that council was supreme.

His colleague, Clr Peter Mudavanhu, said management had failed the councillors.

Mr Masunda has previously accused some of the councillors of incompetence.

"Not all of you will get their wishes granted. I know who contributes and who does not. I will use my discretion. I know some of you suffer from stage fright. Hazvisi zvenyembe," he told the councillors in January when they accused him of favouritism in the appointment of council standing committees.