Chombo warns local authorities: Stop publishing Govt circulars on social media
Local Government Deputy Minister Marian Chombo has warned local authorities that it will not accept their habit of publishing government circulars on social media.
Chombo’s call comes at a time when various letters and documents related to the Pomona and the Belarus fire tender deals from have been awash on social media.
The documents on the deals have exposed the government for ignoring its procurement procedures.
However, speaking in the National Assembly, the deputy minister said the communication is supposed to be confidential and that the government will not take kindly the move to share them on social media.
‘’I wish to point out that the habit of placing official communication on social media is unacceptable.
‘’When the Ministry sends circulars and letters to local authorities, who are a lower tier of the same government, we expect professionalism and respect for basic confidentiality and the provisions of the Official Secrecy Act.
‘’The trend we are witnessing is not acceptable,’’ she said.
Ministry of local government has been under fire in recent weeks for usurping the powers of local authorities by taking over their procurement functions.
The ministry is also accused of agreeing deals on behalf of the country without consultations.
Currently the local government ministry is struggling to explain how it ended making the Belarus fire tender deal without approval from Parliament.
According to the constitution, all international agreements that impose financial burden on Zimbabwe are supposed to be approved by Parliament.
This is because it is only the Parliament which has power to authorise the use of the money that is in the consolidated revenue fund.
Zimbabwe entered into a bi-lateral agreement with Belarus, which has reportedly enabled it to purchase fire tenders and other equipment. Parliament has since asked for the finer details of the bi-lateral agreement, as there are views that it could have acted unconstitutionally.
Chombo warns local authorities: Stop publishing Govt circulars on social media
