Sanganai Tourism Expo Turns Into Luxury Getaway For Councillors

By Shingirai Vambe

Zimbabwean local authorities have once again come under scrutiny for prioritizing luxury and indulgence over critical service delivery, openly disregarding directives from both the parent ministry and President Mnangagwa. This time, several rural and urban councils reportedly took councillors and council staff to the 2025 Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Expo in Mutare, with costs running into hundreds of dollars per person.

According to reports received by Post on Sunday, councillors from provinces outside Manicaland were allocated budgets exceeding USD $500 per head, covering resort accommodation, meals, and other luxuries at the Vumba highlands and Councillors based in Manicaland, who could have traveled daily to the Expo at minimal cost, reportedly received significant payouts exceeding US$200 for the 2 day program, raising questions about fiscal responsibility.

Some councillors from Rusape disclosed, “we had to travel back, it is cost effective after fueling less that USD$50 for the 2 day program, the remainder will be for my personal use,” he noted.

Know for exchanging women like clothes each time they go on trips or spending sprees, some Councillors, Mayors and Chairperson are on record saying we didn’t have much to do at Sanganai, rather spending time in Vumba having fun.

Most Urban Local Authorities are run with Opposition Councillors being the majority while Rural councils are run by ZANU PF Councillors being the Majority

Sources within the councils revealed that the trips were organized despite tight local authority budgets, ongoing service delivery failures, and citizens’ growing frustration over water shortages, uncollected refuse, and deteriorating infrastructure. Critics argue that the excursions turned a platform meant to promote domestic tourism and economic growth into a personal retreat for officials, with ratepayers effectively footing the bill.

“The President was clear during the Indaba: service delivery must come first,” said one civic activist who requested anonymity. “Yet, councils have continued to ignore this, indulging in extravagant trips while the public suffers.”

The spending has sparked outrage among taxpayers, many of whom are struggling with high utility bills, poor roads, and limited access to basic services. Observers note that such mismanagement undermines public trust in local governance and fuels perceptions of systemic corruption, where political elites benefit at the expense of ordinary citizens.

The Ministry of Local Government has not responded to repeated requests for comment, but stakeholders are calling for urgent accountability measures. Transparency advocates insist that councils must justify these expenditures, especially in the context of nationwide austerity and declining public confidence.