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[QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 21958, member: 2262"]
Local authorities in Zimbabwe spent around US$1 million on a meeting with President Mnangagwa, even though many cannot afford to pay their workers. The gathering brought 2,595 council members to Harare from 92 different towns and rural areas.

The council members arrived on Monday and stayed in hotels. After their Tuesday meeting with Mnangagwa ended at 2 PM, they stayed another night because it was too late to travel home.

Each council member received daily payments that added up to US$209.80. This included US$90 for a hotel room, US$22.50 for breakfast, US$30 for lunch, US$37.30 for dinner, and US$30 extra. The total cost reached US$1.088 million, not counting travel expenses.

The Zimbabwe Local Government Association arranged the meeting. Its leader, Aaron Golden Shamu, said they paid these amounts but wasn't sure of the final total cost. Isaac Matsilele from the Association of Rural District Councils also confirmed these payments.

The purpose was to thank President Mnangagwa for starting a new service delivery program and to get his advice. The Local Government Ministry helped pay for the meeting space.

The situation looks bad for local authorities. At a recent workshop in Masvingo, Shingirirai Mushamba, a top official in the Ministry's Planning Department, said many councils cannot even pay their main planners.

John Bhasera, the top civil servant in the Local Government Ministry, could not answer questions before this story was finished.
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