$2 million retrenchment scandal rocks Harare City Council

The scandal ridden Harare City Council (HCC) has been hit with yet another huge financial loss which saw the city losing $2 million in a flawed retrenchment package pay-out that has raised eyebrows.

An internal audit  report for the period 2014 to 2015 exposed the irregularities in the pay out of retrenchment packages for nine top executives.

The report noted that the executives’ packages were inflated and Harare City Council was prejudiced of almost $2 million in the process.

Zim Morning Post is in possession of the audit report which states that Stanley Mungofa (Grade 2) received an excess of $ 730 000 after being paid close to $1.8 million instead of $1 million. Justine Chivavaya (Grade 4) was paid $600 000 and received an excess of $200 000, a Muza E received an excess of $4000 while a Gandiwa received $11 000 excess.

Psychology Chiwanga (Grade 2) was paid $740 000 instead of $470 000 and prejudiced the Harare city Council of close to $280 000, James Chiyangwa got an excess of $30 000 after being paid $420 000 instead of $390 000 and another official, a Zvakaramba C got $830 000 instead of $539 000, an excess of $300 000.

According to the audit report, the  severance packages were supposed to be determined by grades but the executives wantonly overrode the procedure and milked the cash strapped city council.

The  Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has taken keen interest in the goings on at Town House and they in fact opened investigations into how former Harare town clerk Tendai Mahachi and six other senior council officials allegedly siphoned over $1 million through dubious allowances and perks.

Lately  HCC has been haunted by massive corruption, tender scandals  and failure to provide services to the residents.