Broke Councils to Splurge Money on BRICS Forum

Broke Councils to Splurge Money on BRICS Forum

Eighteen cash-strapped local authorities will spend an estimated US$10 000 each to send their town clerks, secretaries and council chief executive officers (CEOs) to the BRICS International Municipalities Forum to be held in Russia at the end of this month.

Analysts have questioned the prudence of the trip when councils in Zimbabwe are so broke that they are failing to deliver basic services including provision of water, maintaining roads and to pay workers’ salaries. Analysts described the trip as just another gravy train by council officials.

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“Public entity managers in Zimbabwe lack the necessary frugality to run the economy,” said one economist who declined to be named.

Gabriel Masvora, the Director of Communications in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works confirmed the trip and said that those local authorities sanctioned to undertake the trip proved to Government that they can afford the trip.

Broke Councils to Splurge Money on BRICS Forum

Conspicuous by their absence on the list are Harare, Gweru and Mutare City Councils. The workshop will take place on August 27 and 28, 2024.

Masvora said for Harare, it was noted that there are several commissions investigating cases of corruption and it was therefore not prudent for that municipality to send a delegate.

BRICKS is an economic block founded in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa hence the acronym BRICS. Zimbabwe applied to be a BRICS member and the application is yet to be approved.

One of the biggest expenses for local authorities are workshop allowances for staffers and councillors which run into thousands of dollars per day per person. A source told The Mirror that those going to Russia are going to pocket nearly US$6 000 per delegate for small councils and US$10 000 for big ones.