The Sunday News
Lovemore Dube Sunday News Correspondent
THE Association of Rural District Councils of Zimbabwe (ARDCZ) is owed in excess of $1,3 million by its members. Only two members were as of Thursday of good standing with regards to 2016 membership. These are Umguza and Zvimba while the other 58 are in danger of losing their voting rights as per the organisation’s constitution. According to information at hand only 11 councils had paid their subscription fees as of December 31, 2015.
ARDCZ chief executive officer Roger Mozhentiy confirmed yesterday that the association was owed $1,3 million by members. He called on the rural district associations to pay their dues to enable smooth running of the organisation.
He said they were now running the organisation from rentals of their three storey building on Sealous Avenue in Harare.
“Usually we do not take our matters to the media. I can confirm though that we are owed over $1,3 million. This has affected operations of the organisations,” said Mozhentiy.
According to records Bikita, Mutare Rural District Council, Umguza, Insiza, Gwanda RDC, Umzingwane, Manyame, Mhondoro-Ngezi and Zvimba were the only paid up members last year with the rest owing varying amounts.
Mozhentiy said associations risked losing their voting rights in elections of the organisation to be held at the end of June.
He said invitations and notices had already been dispatched to councils in line with the constitution contrary to sentiments expressed during the week by council chairpersons led by Moses Gutu and Sherperd Mudhara.
Some rural district chairpersons had on Wednesday pushed for elections to be held at a consultative meeting with the Minister of Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage, Abedinico Ncube. Mozhentiy said they could not hold the elections on the day because it was not on the agenda.
“That could not have been an elective meeting since it was held at the request of the Minister. In March we sent three-month notices for elections since the term of David Guy Mutasa’s executive has expired. We bound by the constitution,” he said.
Council chairpersons on Wednesday wanted to hold elections. They drew a petition calling on Mutasa’s executive and Mozhentiy to step down.
They also want a forensic audit of the organisation’s finances.
Mozhentiy said every year before the association holds its annual general meeting, there is always an audit exercise carried out by a firm of chartered accountants.
Mozhentiy dismissed as mischief assertions that there was rampant fiscal indiscipline.
The chief executive said he was happy that the organisation had managed to play its advocacy and lobbying role of the councils. He said this was aimed at improving service delivery within councils.
After the Wednesday meeting, councillors came out calling for the ouster of Mozhentiy.
They accused him of wanting to take home a fortune at his retirement in December, allegations which he dismissed with a chuckle.
They queried how his contract was extended in 2014.
“What is due to me is all in my conditions of service. This includes six percent of the organisation’s head office complex’s net worth.
“The organisation could not pay us in around 2004 and had sought to offset that with the position of us taking six percent of the building’s value which was a resolution by council bosses.
“We had no servings in terms of pensions so that was the position and now I have due leave days and gratuity when I retire in December,” he said, dismissing claims by council bosses that he had accumulated as many as nine months of leave.
