Shurugwi Town Council faces angered residents, Town Secretary throws in towel

Tendai Gumbo
SHURUGWI residents are breathing fire after the local authorities failed to produce minutes of the previous budget consultations for cross-referencing before setting out on another consultation.
Residents are of the conviction that Shurugwi Town Council has been using resources through a budget allocation that was not approved by the public.
It is said that, during the previous consultation, the citizens and the local authority had agreed to make adjustments to the budget but the council never showed up again with the proposed adjustments.
“Last year by this time, the council came to us to consult in their budget and we did not agree to it. They went back to their offices saying they were going to adjust but never came back.
“Today what we want is for the council to present to us how they have been using our money to buy expensive vehicles without our consent. We also want to know why we are paying water bills when there is no water on our tapes,” said former Councillor, Jericho Takavarasha.
It is this mounting pressure that supposedly pushed the Town Secretary. Solomon Siziba to abruptly resign last week after 15 years of service.
Engineer Francis Charamba has since been appointed the acting town secretary.