Rusape Town Council Secretary, Solomon Gabaza, trying to Evade justice

A Town Secretary's position - CEO demands traits that influence others to behave well in society or organizations, he or she must be a role model and must lead by example. Organizational leadership is nothing without ethics and for a leader to be successful in an organization he or she must have an appreciation of morality, social order and modernity. On Monday 11 May 2020, the Rusape Town Council, through its Council Chairperson Cllr Sithole, suspended the Town Secretary Mr Solomon Gabaza on litany of allegations chief among them being maladministration, poor service delivery, insubordination to mention a few. On whether these and some other allegations will come true, it's left to the investigations committee but residents of Rusape are eagerly waiting and are confident if Gabaza didn't interfere with investigations he will be truly roasted only time will tell.

Because of severity of allegations, this publication finds it difficult to talk to the Town Secretary, neither was it also given time for interviews by the  council Chairperson or any councillor but information from reliable sources indicated that Mr Gabaza started his forced leave with all his benefits. A decision which was condemned by residents as they feel he was supposed to be suspended without salary. Mr Gabaza was seeing himself as Rusape's ''mini-god'' and all his decisions were final and no one has the audacity to rebuke or correct him.

Mr Gabaza is a product of G40, as he was handpicked by Kudzai Chipanga for his post together with Godfrey Mupfuranhehwe a.k.a Dr Joy Tech - a loudmouth Rusape resident who thrives on chaos and was handpicked by Chipanga from PDP and Mavambo Kusile Dawn respectively to stand in as a Zanu PF councillor contesting against the incumbent. Gabaza's ascendancy was necessitated on the grounds that he will boot lick Kudzai Chipanga who was eyeing the ministerial post in the old dispensation of RG Mugabe. The then minister of Local Government Mr Savior Kasukuwere accommodated him and with the blessings of former Local Government minister Chombo he was baptised to be the new Rusape dictator and by so doing Gabaza sacrificed Rtd Major General Tarisai Manzonzo, a duly graduate from a well respected and recognized University of Zimbabwe in favor of Mr Munetsi Chitongo-a caterer in the food industry to head the Housing Department - - Imagine. Residents are questioning the rational, how then can the minister of Local Government and Public Works be blamed for not appointing a local Government Board when Gabaza is sacrificing quality delivery of service by appointing his unqualified associates simply because he they are related to former minister Savior Kasukuwere. It is on record Chitongo is Savior Kasukuwere's brother in law. 

Upon his appointment, consolidation of power at Town house only lies on him as he would pass all the decisions without a council resolution. For purposes of investigations this publication will not pre-empty these allegations as it may jeopardize the investigations currently underway. Now that the Old Dispensation is now history, Gabaza is trying through Deputy Minister of Local Government and other officials to destabilized and jeopardize investigation. Of course he still feel Ignitious Chombo is still in the picture since his wife is now deputizing the Minister of Local Government. Information from reliable sources told this publication that Gabaza, after his suspension, tried to reach the first lady Amai Mnangagwa little did he knew the first lady is tactical, astute and doesn't tolerate corruption, incompetence or give cover to government or council officials who are corrupt and doesn't have a social order in the community and who fail to discharge their duties in terms of the law. As it is Gabaza must  prove his innocence when time arrives he must carry his cross.

The Town is now in bad shape and even the Inter Ministerial Task Force which visited Rusape on Independence day was left astounded by the depreciation of the once promising town which was  left at its pick by former secretary Mr Joshua Maligwa who is now in Mutare. Maligwa made sure service delivery comes first as per Town's vision and mission statements. His time was difficult as there were councillors from MDC and Zanu PF who constituted same number in council and voting would became 50-50. He (Maligwa) has with difficulty reached a modus vivendi, though hardly friendship within the Rusape Town Council. Gabaza only has the MDC with more councillors (9-1) and because he pretends to be pro Zanu PF he is always seen at axis with the Councillors forgetting they are his employers. At times he would shout at them like kids and not even the council lawyer Mr Chiwanza was not spared also hence the title '' mini-god''.

When the Inter Ministerial Task Force visited Rusape under the leadership of Cde Oppah Chamu Zvipange Muchinguri Kashiri, they attacked Gabaza for non performing. Even the residents were angry with the way their town was run. After contacting a random interview with residents, this publication was convinced the Town was actually ran like a tuckshop. The Councillors, after noting that their work was on the ropes, tried to approach CEO Mr Gabaza to rectify things but were told to stay away. In a matter of days, the ministry 's permanent secretary wrote to all Town Clerks  and Town Secretaries to take advantage of lock down and sanitize and clean their towns and cities. Gabaza never bothered to tell the Councillors how was he going to implement the order. He simply demolished structured which he feels were bad or outdated.

When the Councillors noted his actions, and for fear of litigation against council, they approached Mr Gabaza with a letter requesting for a full Council meeting and as usual Gabaza blocked them by saying the Provincial Administrator Mr Seenza (now acting Provincial Development Coordinator PDC) told him that the Councillors must proceed through Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) an advice which was incorrect according to our verification, and is not found in the presiding Urban Council's Act. This was used as a way of blocking the Councillors from conducting a full council meeting as part of their mandate. This triggers the Councillors' tempers and sent him to the cleaners.

Now that he is on forced leave, the Town Secretary is still reaching his subordinate in defiant of the Councillors orders. Gabaza himself publicly defied a specific order which bars him  from visiting the DDC's offices on the very day of his suspension.  This is the first stage of evading justice. This publication is reliably informed that he approached the Police, the 3.2 Infantry Batallion and the CIO to try and have them destabilize investigation. The ministry is aware of the shenanigans but there is also need to put a hindsight on how the PDC and the DDC were involved in the destruction of once promising city. The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works in Harare is watching buy they are not fully represented by the DDC who in the public eye are part of Rusape Town Council Administration unlike in Makoni Rural Development Council where the CEO there executes his duties without entertain favors from the DDC. From our own investigations, the DDC spent 90% of his works and time mingling in Rusape Town Council Administration than in Makoni RDC. Gabaza is waiting for his day in chambers for hearing. If he is innocent let him leave investigators perform their duties without suppressing information to them through his subordinates. He is trying to soil the names of the Army, Police and CIO and senior Government official's name to scare investigators.

However, the residents are now eager and are looking forward to see how the outcome of investigation will come out like. It will prove whether the Councillors' position was correct or it was a political gimmick done to gain their political mileage. It is still to be proved whether the Councillors' action wanted to bring the the sanity of the town on its rail. Only time will tell and let justice take it's own course.