Mnangagwa dangles duty-free cars for councillors

GOVERNMENT has reviewed councillors' allowances as President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he had approved a scheme to import vehicles duty free.

Mnangagwa also said councillors would get special terms on purchasing personal housing stands.

The allowances review was announced by Local Government and Public Works secretary Zvinechimwe Churu in a correspondence to local authorities dated September 14.

In a letter addressed to town clerks, secretaries and chief executive officers, Churu said mayors/chairpersons would get $138 575,40, their deputies ($127 027,45) committee chairpersons ($120 098,68) and councillors $115 479,50.

"Local authorities are hereby advised that effective August 1, 2022, allowances have been reviewed. However, councils are advised that payment of these allowances is subject to performance of the local authority. Please note that this circular rescinds all previous communication relating to this subject matter and its interpretation of this circular rests with the undersigned," he said.

Speaking at the closing day of the all-councillors indaba in Harare yesterday, Mnangagwa said he had approved the importation of councillors' vehicles duty free, but would need to find out what was stalling the finalisation of the duty waiver.

Reacting to the developments, Citizens Coalition for Change councillor Denford Ngadziore (Harare ward 16) told NewsDay Weekender that councillors were more concerned about getting devolution funds allocation than personal vehicles.

"There is nothing to celebrate if money is not allocated to devolution so that our people can have better service delivery. We need our 5% which is supposed to be allocated to the City of Harare for us to have better service delivery," he said.

"We are for the citizens whom we represent, not ourselves. We will celebrate more the day we will receive our devolution money for service delivery. If duty-free car imports scheme is implemented, I will donate the vehicle to the community to assist in charity and social responsibility work or alternatively will procure a permanent refuse collection truck for my ward."

Harare mayor Jacob Mafume said: "We need to see how much impact this will have on the ability of councillors to supervise service delivery. We need to right-size incomes across the board for all Zimbabweans."

Kadoma mayor Action Nyamukondiwa described the development as a great achievement in the ministry.

"At least for this time, but we don't know how inflation is going to haunt us. The ordinary councillor was on $16 755 and the mayor's was $20 000," he said.