By Correspondent
Harare City Council has re-advertised for the position of Finance Director a year after holding public interviews for the same post.
The Local Authority has been without a substantive Finance Director for years now.
Presently, Godfrey Kusangaya is the Acting Finance Director.
The position has become something of a hot potato as previous occupants of the post have been arrested or fired.
Harare Residents Trust (HRT) has previously spoken about this saying it will watch proceedings carefully.
“A finance director is the most important position in the public finance management system in any Government institution.
“Sadly, councillors want a person who they can easily direct to release and allocate funds for projects that ultimately benefit their political party interests,” HRT said.
A Bloody Trail
The last substantive FD Justin Mandizha allegedly suffered at the hands of the Cllrs.
“The last substantive director of finance, Justin Mandizha suffered at the hands of the corrupt councillors.
“They ganged up against him for refusing to release funds for their unplanned expenditures.
“They illegally delivered a judgement of incompetence on him, working closely with some identified finance department officials who felt threatened by Mandizha.
The Strange Case of Kwenda
Stanley Kwenda who became FD after Mandizha left acrimoniously after a round of suspensions.
After his suspension Kwenda was arrested on corruption charges.
He was accused of transferring US$70 000 meant for the provision of water, sanitation, education and recreational services into his personal bank account.
The money was allegedly used to buy a Jeep Cherokee without the Minister of Local Government’s approval or a council resolution.
However, the Local Government Board later absolved him of any crime.
It demanded that he be reinstated to his position.
It never happened!
The Golf Course Aficionado
After him came Stanley Ndemera who was also arrested over abuse of office and corruption.
Ndemera was convicted on two different cases and is currently serving 16-year term for the illegal sale of three commercial stands in Harare.
Both his convictions involve trying to sell off sports and recreation facilities run by sports clubs on land leased from Harare City Council.
These are Mount Pleasant Sports Club and golf course and the Old Hararians Sports Club.
With such a history the position has really become something else.
Recently the Acting FD Godfrey Kusangaya was at loggerheads with Cllrs after his presentation at the Commission of Inquiry.
Kusangaya was accused of presenting false financial figures relating to workshops held by Harare.
