News / National
Garwe fires warning shots
2 hrs ago |
111 Views
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has issued a stern directive ordering all mayors, council chairpersons and local authority officials across Zimbabwe to immediately stop the misuse of Cabinet Authority for foreign travel, benchmarking visits and conferences.
In a circular dated April 28, 2026, Minister Daniel Garwe warned that Cabinet Authority was being widely abused by some officials who treat sanctioned international travel as a personal benefit rather than a public responsibility.
The ministry stressed that such authority is granted strictly for representing Zimbabwe and advancing national interests, including investment promotion, service delivery partnerships and development objectives. It said it is not intended for personal enrichment or leisure.
The circular expressed concern that some officials were using official trips for shopping, tourism and social activities, only appearing for formal engagements such as dinners and photo opportunities. According to the ministry, this behaviour undermines government austerity efforts, damages public trust and discredits the local government system.
The timing of the directive comes amid renewed scrutiny of council travel expenditure, particularly in Chiredzi, where a 2025 council-funded US$50,000 trip to a youth event in South Korea drew criticism from residents and lawmakers. Questions were raised at the time about the value delivered to the community, with residents saying they had not received any meaningful feedback or outcomes from the visit.
The ministry's latest order instructs that all future requests for Cabinet Authority must demonstrate a clear and verifiable link to national interests, investment promotion or service delivery improvements. It also requires that the directive be circulated to all councillors, town clerks, chief executive officers and council officials.
Officials say the move is aimed at tightening accountability in local governance and ensuring that scarce public resources are used strictly for development-focused purposes rather than discretionary travel.
In a circular dated April 28, 2026, Minister Daniel Garwe warned that Cabinet Authority was being widely abused by some officials who treat sanctioned international travel as a personal benefit rather than a public responsibility.
The ministry stressed that such authority is granted strictly for representing Zimbabwe and advancing national interests, including investment promotion, service delivery partnerships and development objectives. It said it is not intended for personal enrichment or leisure.
The timing of the directive comes amid renewed scrutiny of council travel expenditure, particularly in Chiredzi, where a 2025 council-funded US$50,000 trip to a youth event in South Korea drew criticism from residents and lawmakers. Questions were raised at the time about the value delivered to the community, with residents saying they had not received any meaningful feedback or outcomes from the visit.
The ministry's latest order instructs that all future requests for Cabinet Authority must demonstrate a clear and verifiable link to national interests, investment promotion or service delivery improvements. It also requires that the directive be circulated to all councillors, town clerks, chief executive officers and council officials.
Officials say the move is aimed at tightening accountability in local governance and ensuring that scarce public resources are used strictly for development-focused purposes rather than discretionary travel.
Source - Tellzim
Join the discussion
Loading comments…
