Chanza under fire at Blantyre City Council
By Judith Moyo, Nyasa Times
Blantyre City Council director of administrative services Alfred Chanza has come under fire from several employees at the council for nepotism.
Chanza is accused of offering jobs to many of the people from the Shire Valley where one of his parents came from. He is also under fire for offering a job to a sister of his personal assistant. All those offered jobs are not interviewed according to some employees.
Chanza employed his sister-in law Joyce Dzimbiri, a sister to his personal assistant who is also his lover, Suzgo Nyirenda.
“The sister-in law has been living in the house of Nyirenda and Chanza offered her a job as administrative officer without an interview. Apart from her, there are other employees who have been offered jobs without interviews and most of them are from the Shire Valley,” some employees said.
The employees said each day comes with new recruits at the council.
Nyasa Times got hold of some of the contract letters for the new recruits.
Reads one letter, “We are pleased to inform you are being offered the post of administrative officer (Temporary) grade s2) on the following terms and conditions with effect from the date you report for duties…..”
The letter is dated June 1 2011 and signed by Ted Nandolo, chief executive officer for the council and copies are sent to the administration director and others. The letter is for Joyce Dzimbiri, Chanza’s sister-in law.
The salary scale is between K689 965. 78 and 746 125.78 per annum.
A similar letter is also given to another administrative officer Jerome Galagade showing the same date and other contents.
Another offer letter is given to Kennedy Jamu who is hired as a debt collector.
“Reference is made to your application for consideration for the post of a debt collector and the subsequent interviews you attended on 24th March 2011. We are pleased to inform you that you were successful during interviews. Consequently, you are being offered the post of a debt collector (grade s 5) ….” Jamu’s salary scale is between K331 200.00 to K338 400.00.
Another employee said source said most of the administration work is done by Chanza and that he has taken advantage of that to build an empire that will protect him.
“Chanza is forcing old employees out and he is getting new people that he would manipulate. For example, he refused to have the former acting chief who was director of leisure Mr Robert Kawiya. He had just reached his retirement age but was recommended for month to month employment because he is still very strong and effective. But threw him out,” the employee said.
He said another replacement has been made at the engineering department. The director, Kenneth Kamtwera, was forced to retire and has been replaced by one called Namaonjeza.
He said all directors except one, director of Town Planning Costly Chanza, have been forced to leave the council.
“Mr. Chanza foresees himself becoming chief executive officer one day and so he wants to be surrounded by people that he can use to achieve his desires,” the employee said.
Chanza was not reachable on his mobile phone to explain the claims raised by the employees.
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