Minister Garwe sets ‘slavelike’ conditions for Councilors; Mayors to get US$90 allowance
By Staff Reporter
LOCAL Government Minister, Daniel Garwe has set slavery conditions for Councilors after significantly cutting down on their benefits in a move aimed at blocking rampant abuse of resources.
The directives contained under Circular 12 has set new allowances from US$75 up to US$90 for City Mayors and Chairpersons.
“The payment of allowances will be subject to audit and any overpayment will be recovered. The allowances will be pegged in US$ payable in any currency within the multicurrency basket. No other allowances are payable including sitting allowances,” he said.
In addition to a monthly allowance, councilors are entitled to travel and subsistence allowances for travel outside of Council area only. The exception to this will be payment of this allowance to rural district councilors attending Council meetings because of the distances involved. The rates are to be calculated on the equivalent of one and a half litres of fuel for every 10 kilometers travelled from the ward represented.
“Councilors who are given council transport to attend meetings are not entitled to this allowance. No allowances other than those specified in the Treasury Circular may be paid, including out of pocket allowance,” said Garwe.
The Minister also granted the local authority to award a single residential stand in a lifetime and scrapped previous benefits of commercial and industrial stands.
He subjected Foreign Travel to the Ministry’s approval and banned the convening of workshops outside the local authority’s jurisdiction unless approved.
