Chinhoyi residents are expressing mounting fury over allegations that local councillors have hijacked the recruitment of casual labor, allegedly sidelining qualified candidates to install politically connected loyalists.
The burgeoning scandal reached a boiling point after a group of workers, whose contracts were recently terminated, took the unusual step of petitioning Mashonaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Marian Chombo, to lodge formal complaints.
Central to the dispute is a contentious council resolution that allegedly allows each councillor to handpick two individuals for employment.
According to affected workers, this move bypasses established protocols and creates a system of partisan patronage.
“Councillors passed a resolution to recommend two people each to be hired, and that leaves us out in the cold,” said one worker, who requested anonymity due to fears of victimisation.
The disgruntled group argues that this practice directly contradicts national labor laws and internal council policies designed to ensure fair hiring.
Clayton, a former employee whose contract expired in March, highlighted a shift in the local authority’s recruitment strategy.
While he was originally hired through the formal labour office, he claims the process has been systematically politicised.
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He alleged that councillors were now prioritising individuals from their specific wards who are aligned with their respective political parties, rather than adhering to objective qualifications or prior service.
Chombo confirmed receiving the complaints, stating her office is currently assessing the gravity of the matter.
However, she expressed caution regarding direct intervention in local government affairs, noting she would "look into the issues to determine how best they can be addressed".
In a sharp rebuttal, Chinhoyi mayor Owen Charuza dismissed the claims of favoritism as baseless.
He maintained that the council was strictly following proper procedures to recruit 51 casual laborers through official labor offices.
Charuza suggested that the protesters might be former beneficiaries of the very system they are now decrying.
“Those who are complaining show that they have been politically benefiting and now do not want others to benefit,” he said.
An anonymous councillor from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) went further, claiming the complainants were Zanu PF-aligned individuals resisting new reforms.
They argued the council has effectively “closed loopholes” that were previously exploited.
Meanwhile, council spokesperson Tichaona Mlauzi clarified that the 51 positions were three-month contracts managed through the department of employment service promotion, involving rigorous vetting and police clearances to ensure full compliance with the Labour Act.
“It is true that the council resolved to hire 51 workers to address staff shortages in key areas. These are short-term contracts that do not exceed three months, in line with the Labour Act,” Mlauzi said.
“Our recruitment process involves the department of employment servicep, where job seekers are registered and vetted, including police clearance.”
