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Local government media update and links
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
March 27, 2012

Below is a list of selected local government media articles followed by links. You can click on the links below to read full stories.

Outrage over top government ZESA defaulters
The Zimbabwe Situation

There is growing outrage in Zimbabwe after top government officials were exposed as defaulting on their power bills, with outstanding payments believed to be in millions of dollars. A month long investigation by the Daily News listed the top ZESA offenders, with Robert Mugabe and his wife owing over US$300,000 to the electricity utility as of December 2011. The defaulters also included legislators from across the political divide in the coalition government as well as Judges, Provincial Governors, deputy Ministers and Permanent Secretaries.

Robert Mugabe and wife Grace owe GBP 220,000 to Zimbabwe's failing power firm
The Zimbabwe Situation

Mr Mugabe, 88, and his wife Grace, 46, owe the state-owned Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority for power used on their clutched properties seized from former white farmers. Other senior members in Zanu PF, including Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Defence Minister, Didymus Mutasa, the presidential minister, Sydney Sekeramayi, the state security minister, and Webster Shamu, the information minister, owe a combined 650 000 pounds in unpaid bills. In a bid to save power, ZESA has launched a programme of rolling black outs which has seen some households go without electricity for up to 16hrs. Local papers reported that when ZESA tried to cut the power to the homes of Zanu PF officials, they were chased away by dogs and guards.

Ticking health time bomb in Harare, Zimbabwe
The Zimbabwe Situation

Water supply is erratic, council rubbish compactors are nowhere near sight, open market stalls are selling foodstuffs nearly everywhere, flies are roaming without boundaries everywhere from the toilets to the open canteens to the open market stalls, in Mbare, Harare. The township was established as (Harare Township) in 1907 by colonial white regime for what they referred to the natives as bachelors'quarters and yet today each cubicle measuring approximately 25 square metres in Mbare flats carries between 3 and 5 families. An attempt by Bill Gates and his wife to resuscitate the dilapidated housing structure housing an estimated 300 000 inhabitants failed to bear any fruits with the interference by a political mafia group led by a political mafia group Chipangano led by a youth provincial chairperson Jim Kunaka from the country's ruling party Zanu PF which is part of the coalition government currently managing Zimbabwe.

ZESA billing woes to stay
The Herald

Billing problems in Harare and Bulawayo could persist longer amid reports the state procurement board has withdrawn prepaid meters tender awards for the two cities. Consumers want prepaid meters which allow them to pay for electricity they would have used as opposed to estimated bills. Minister Mangoma said ZESA will however, go ahead and install the metres in other areas. Nyamezela won tenders for the supply of prepaid meters for five Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution company regions despite regulations barring firms from bidding for more than three regions.

Tomana blocking arrest of Chombo and Kasukuwere
Nehanda Radio

Harare-Attorney General Johannes Tomana is blocking the arrest of two Zanu PF government ministers, one accused of abusing the constituency development fund (CDF) and the other of corruptly acquiring council land, among other things. In the last thirty days, 3 MDC-T legislators, Marvelous Khumalo, Albert Mhlanga and Cleophas Machacha, plus Zanu PF's MP for Magunje, Franco Ndambakuwa, were all arrested on allegations they had diverted funds from parliament which were meant for development projects in their constituencies. SW Radio understands the Attorney General rushed to stop the Anti- Corruption Commission from carrying out more arrests because 2 key individuals in the Zanu PF regime were next in line. Tomana tried to justify his directive by arguing that all MP's should be audited first before any arrests. Chombo's wealth was exposed in 2010 in a messy divorce involving his wife of 25 years, Marian. The Minister has interests in several farms, mines, hunting safaris in Chiredzi, Hwange, Magunje and Chirundu as well as properties in South Africa. Even when a probe team of Harare City Councilors produced a report implicating Chombo and business man Chiyangwa in the illegal acquisition of council land on the cheap, the police refused to investigate the matter. Instead the councilors and journalists who covered the saga were arrested. Among other crimes Kasukuwere is involved in oil procurement and distribution, he has also managed to so run down United Touring Company that is in serious financial difficulties and trying to block fresh investment in the energy sector to force companies like BP and Shell to sell their assets to his oil company.

Is Welfare Trust another Chipangano
The Zimbabwe Situation

After failing to take more money from unsuspecting residents, the bogus welfare trust organization has now resorted to violence by identified rogue elements in communities who now use death threats on the HRT community leadership and personnel, claiming they have police protection. The Welfare Trust accuses HRT of influencing communities to resist the temptation to pay $1 for membership and $20 to clear one' debts, irrespective of the amounts owed to the city of Harare. This organization has no mandate; neither does it have the authority to spread false information to the residents on cancellation of debts. Only the city of Harare, through a council resolution, can cancel residents' debts.

Mutare City Council workers strike
NewsDay

Fifty Mutare City Council workers downed tools and stormed the civic centre demanding bonuses and other outstanding benefits. Acting Mutare Mayor George Jerison confirmed the industrial action, but dismissed it as illegal and politically-motivated. Two weeks ago, council refuse collectors staged a two day work stoppage in protest over the non-availability of protective clothing. Workers' Committee Chairperson Baya Musa vowed to continue pressing for payment of the outstanding benefits. Jerison denied allegations council recently bought luxury vehicles for top management, arguing the local authority had approved loans for managers as part of their staff retention scheme. However the Mayor agreed to pay workers' bonuses by the end of May.

Water situation dire in many parts of Zimbabwe as world marks Water Day
The Zimbabwe Situation

Clean drinking water in many parts of Zimbabwe remains a mirage though things are somewhat better than 2008-2009 when many local systems were in collapse, leaving the population without safe drinking water and even the means of flushing toilets. Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda described the situation in the capital as dire. He said the demand for water on a daily basis for the city and those on the outskirts is about 1400 megalitres, but says on a good day electricity permitting, the municipality produces around 640 megalitres, far less than what is required. Health experts say water and sanitation related illnesses are among the leading causes of death in Zimbabwe. Many continue to look up to the central government and local authorities to see if they can address the perennial water problems in the country that many say have derailed development, affecting poverty alleviation and related programs.

ZESA to ease load shedding: Mangoma
The Zimbabwe Situation

Power supplies are expected to increase across the country after ZESA completed upgrades to the Hwange and Kariba power stations, Energy Minister, Elton Mangoma said. Zimbabweans have experienced increased power supply interruptions over the past weeks with some areas going for more than 19hrs without electricity. The poorer high density suburbs were the hardest hit with some going for two days without power. However, speaking at an investment conference in Harare Thursday Mangoma said the situation should improve after generation capacity at Hwange and Kariba power stations was increased by 4 and 6 units respectively.

Chombo, councillors clash
Daily News

Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo turned down a request by Harare City Councilors to recruit 280 general workers saying the local authority is over-staffed and has a blotted wage bill. He also turned down an application by councilors to be given laptops by council. This has raised tempers between Chombo and Councilors. During last week's special council meeting, councilors accused Chombo of sabotaging them ahead of watershed elections whose date is yet to be set. Budiriro councilor Panganai Charumbira said if Chombo was serious about service delivery then he must allow council to engage contract workers so that roads are cleared. On turning down council's application to hire extra workers on top of the current workforce of 9 400 workers, Chombo said council was spending too much on salaries at the expense of service delivery.

Mutare Council stalling on audit
Daily News

Suspended Mutare Mayor Brian Leslie James says fellow MDC councilors and management are avoiding a full audit of the city's finances and implementation of agreed council resolutions. James, who is also MDC Manicaland provincial treasurer, told hundreds of party's supporters at a rally on Sunday that councilors were part of the rot affecting Mutare. He said council had collectively resolved to engage consultants to help formulate a strong and accountable budget but that had not been done. James revealed that a probe team tasked by Local Government Minster Ignatius Chombo to investigate him on allegations of misconduct had completed its work.

Local Government Media Links
From the 12th of March

1. Zimbabwe to ban Japanese car imports over Nukes contamination

2. Full details of Glen View murder case

3. Zimre Property's Profits Rise 66 Percent

4. Harare City Council in Need of US$51 Million for Water Repairs

5. Unemployment Drives Clash Over Vending Licenses in Zimbabwe

6. Transcript of Harare Mayor on Question Time: Part 2

7. MDC-led Bulawayo Municipality Rattled by Chombo Corruption Probe

8. Harare Gets US$100 Million for Water

9. Housing consortium calls for exhumation of remains

10. Money for nothing as firefighter is frozen out by boss

11. Residents voice anger against Chi-town looting

12. MPs question calibre of councilors

13. $450 000 vanishes in latest Chitungwiza scandal

14. Zimbabwe Water Authority Says Country Failing to Utilize Harvested Water

15. Chombo's 'jobs-for-the-boys' evil

16. Rival Zanu-PF Factions Square Off in Front of Journalists

17. The MDC - T's controversial audit of councils begins tomorrow

18. Bulawayo City Council Set To Establish A College

19. Bulawayo Council Under Probe

20. World Water Day - Nothing to Celebrate About

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