Zimpapers Logo

As a result, members called for a forensic audit on the accounts following revelations that the UCAZ secretariat was frustrating auditors by failing to assist with the required documents.
As a result members felt the meeting could not go ahead as planned, resulting in its postponement.
The members were then told to wait until today for the start of the Zimbabwe Local Government Association of Zimbabwe (ZILGA) conference.
UCAZ is a member of ZILGA.

In an interview, UCAZ president Alderman Femias Chakabuda said for an organisation that has been in existence since 1963, there was thorough emphasis on clean audited accounting of finances. “The AGM has been postponed to a later date, but it should be early next year and the venue will be Nyanga. This is because there are no audited accounts,” said Ald Chakabuda.
“In the absence of audited report, there is absence  of credible leadership and financial matters will not be  discussed making the process null and void. We advocate for transparency.”

He said they had romped in BDO auditors for a forensic audit looking into the areas which he said they were not happy with.
“We feel that there are areas that should be looked at and that is why there is a need for a forensic audit because nothing should be left out. We hope that by 12 December, the audit results will be out and we will inform our members before action is taken,” said Ald Chakabuda.

However, according to the minutes of the special sub-committee meeting held in Victoria Falls on 29 November and chaired by the Mayor of Chegutu, Councillor Noel Nelson Wadzingenyama, which are in the hands of the Chronicle, BDO auditors could not complete the audit according to plan because of lack of co-operation from UCAZ secretariat.
“A technical team had been set up in Nyanga to investigate and come up with a report as to why 2010 audited accounts were not availed to the finance sub- committee. The BDO auditors said UCAZ secretariat had not produced the 2010 draft accounts for them to audit. The BDO auditors reported that they could not complete the audit according to plan because of lack of co-operation from UCAZ secretariat,” reads part of the minutes.

According to the minutes, bank reconciliations were last done in 2008, leave pay computations were still outstanding, pay role reconciliations were not done and the statements for                          utility expenses for November and December 2010 were not provided.

“Draft financial statements, which were supposed to have been produced by Grant Thorton by 10 November 2011 were not available. The auditors were only provided with a trial without the supporting journal entries. The recommendations  accounting to the minutes were that the task team gets a formal indication from the secretary-general as to why the secretariat failed to co-operate with the auditors as highlighted by BDO auditors in their formal report dated 23 November 2011,” read the minutes.

UCAZ, whose members include the 24 municipalities of Zimbabwe, represents the interests and needs of elected officials, town clerks, finance officers, public works directors, and other municipal officials.