Local Authority

Mutare City to demolish illegal beer halls

Martin Muleya

City of Mutare has issued a stern warning to businesses operating unregistered beer halls to close shop or face the wrath of the law.

The Council said it will carry out a blitz on illegal beer hall operators which have sprouted all over the city at undesignated sites causing noise pollution to residents.

Speaking at the recently held ward 11 residents meeting at Mutare Junior Primary School, acting Town Clerk Blessing Chafesuka indicated that the local authority has resolved to rid the city of illegal beer halls.

“We have examples of several beer halls in residential areas where we have received complaints from residents over issues of noise pollution and want to warn the operators of the impending operation.

 “We went through our audit department and found out that a number of beer halls are operating without valid licences. Some are using fake receipts to get licences and some of our employees are complicit in this,” said Chafesuka.

He reiterated that they carried out a full investigation through council’s internal audit department who have already concluded their findings.

Chafesuka revealed that part of the verification process, would be to publish the status of all beer outlets in the city, indicating the ones operating illegally as well.

“My internal audit department has since concluded their report and I am currently reviewing that report. We will also verify and part of the verification exercise would be to publish the status of all beer outlets, indicating which one is operating with valid papers and which one is alleged to be having invalid papers.

 “We will also invite them to present objections if they are not agreeing with our findings,” he added.

Chafesuka added that when they start the demolishing exercise they will be no sacred cows.

The meeting which was attended by Mutare Mayor Simon Chabuka and residents associations.

Chafesuka also explained the challenges the council is facing on roads rehabilitation, emphasizing that the local authority does not collect vehicle licence fees but rather waits for allocations from the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority along with 91 other local authorities in the country.

Turning on the issue of tuck shops dotted in high density suburbs of Mutare, Chafesuka said that there was no going back on the ongoing demolishing of illegal tuck shops.

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