Harare, (New Ziana) – The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Accounts has urged the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to initiate disciplinary action against council chief executive officers who have failed to submit financial statements on time.

Presenting a report in the National Assembly on Tuesday concerning 2020 audited accounts for the Karoi Town Council, the committee noted widespread non-compliance among local authorities with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), which requires timely submission of financial statements.

“The Committee recommended that the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works must initiate disciplinary measures for chief executive officers of councils who are not up to date in submitting their financial statements by 31 August 2025,” it said.

In addition, the Committee recommended that the Ministry should withhold approval of budgets for councils that fail to submit financial statements as required.

The committee emphasized that the persistent failure by local authorities to comply with the PFMA represents a serious breach of public finance management standards.

“The failure to submit financial statements is a serious breach of public finance management regulations. Karoi Town Council must submit all its outstanding statements within the timelines set by the PFMA without fail. The Committee is concerned that non-submission of financial statements is becoming a worrying trend among local authorities,” it added.

It further noted that some council CEOs were consistently neglecting their duty to ensure financial accountability. The Committee also found that Karoi Town Council failed to account for revenue, expenses, and some assets and liabilities related to its six schools.

Commenting on the findings, Hurungwe East MP Chenjerai Kangausaru said the Karoi case should serve as a wake-up call to restore discipline, integrity, and professionalism in local governance systems.

New Ziana