Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has suspended Chitungwiza Mayor Phillip Mutoti and all 24 councillors for allegedly corruptly allocating themselves tracts of land worth over $7 million.

Chitungwiza Municipality has 14 MDC-T councillors, including Mayor Mutoti and 11 Zanu-PF councillors. The minister will appoint a three-person caretaker council to clean up the rot in the municipality.

An internal audit shows councillors and officials allocated themselves commercial and institutional stands. Human resources manager Mary Mukonyora got 8,41 hectares, Clr Simbiso Mhike (8,413 hectares), Clr Nicholas Mashayamombe (3, 839ha) and Clr Charamba Mlambo (46 stands).

Other councillors also benefited from the looting spree. The audit revealed councillors and staff allocated themselves stands/land and undercharged by as much as $200 and proceeded to sell the same stands for $5 000.

The councillors were given seven days to respond after they were summoned to the parent ministry together with management to answer to the charges.

Minister Kasukuwere said the municipality was plagued by poor governance, negligible service delivery and outright corruption. The municipality serves a population of nearly half a million people.