Kadoma workers call for town clerk’s ouster

Infighting and backbiting is the order of the day at Kadoma town house where junior employees are accusing soft-spoken town clerk Mr Malvern Dondo of gross looting of council funds together with top managers under the guise of travel and subsistence allowances while workers are wallowing in abject poverty.

The workers are demanding the immediate ouster of Dondo.

All is not well for him as he is being blamed for covering up corruption of senior managers over the years as well as failing to turn around the fortunes of the local authority since he assumed office.

Workers who pleaded for anonymity said the only way to revive Kadoma was through appointing a new town clerk.

“The fish starts to rot from the head, that is the same scenario at our council. We are tired of Dondo he has failed to deliver he must just resign. We havent received our bonuses since 2015 it was only promised. We don’t have protective clothing yet they spend nearly $50 000 on travelling allowances per manager.

“Dondo has no place in the new dispensation he was appointed on nepotism grounds by former local government minister Ignatious Chombo. He should pave way for competent people,” said the employee.

The source added that Dondo enjoys blame game portraying himself as the ‘mr’ nice guy always.

“We tried to engage him on several occasions to take care of our welfare, but he is just heartless. He gives a picture that he is surrounded by criminals yet he is the criminal himself government should conduct an audit urgently we cannot continue to suffer due some corrupt people if we fish him out first he will pinpoint fellow accomplices,” he said.

Dondo is not new to controversy as a few years back government gave Kadoma City Council management a week-long ultimatum to enforce best corporate governance systems and improve general service delivery or risk being fired.

The then Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs minister Faber Chidarikire and provincial administrator (PA) Christopher Shumba sounded the warning shots during their unannounced visit to the city where they witnessed first-hand the pothole-riddled roads, overflowing raw sewage, dry water taps, uncollected garbage and the squalor under which some residents were living.

The odds seem to be working against Dondo who was also last month, according to state media rapped for complacency after failing to ensure the roll-out of a $1 million road rehabilitation project in the town, which was supposed to be carried out by Exodus Company.

Several attempts to get in touch with Dondo who is said to have attended another workshop were futile as his mobile number was unreachable.