ARTUZ issues statement on the ongoing looting through fake infrastructure development projects

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ has learnt with shock and anger that government claims to have spent USD 1.7 billion on refurbishing roads ahead of the Southern African Development Community, SADC conference summit held from 16 to 18 August in Harare.

 

The figure exposes an ongoing looting scheme disguised in the name of infrastructure development. The work that was done and the astronomical figure announced by Mhona do not tally.

 

The Union calls for the immediate halting of any infrastructure development project. The Auditor General’s office should engage in an audit of the projects before they are allowed to resume. The Union further calls upon the relevant Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to summon Minister Mhona to investigate how the USD 1.7 billion was spent.

 

The Union will not hesitate to declare ongoing infrastructure projects as robbery scenes where Citizen arrests maybe effected.

 

The money being looted through these fake projects should be deployed to paying hard working Civil Servants a living wage among other Critical sectors in need of funding.

 

ARTUZ condemns the over funding of projects in Harare at the expense of other regions. Devolution of governance should become a reality as a matter of urgency. Harare is not Zimbabwe.

 

The Union will declare job actions ahead of schools opening. It is apparent that government has capacity to pay a living wage.