Terrence Mawawa, Chivhu | At a time the government is struggling to pay civil servants, it has emerged that village heads hand picked by the First Lady Grace Mugabe, are receiving full salaries – thereby creating a huge bill the treasury is struggling to fund.

According to a confidential government document leaked to reporters in Chivhu last week, the government is struggling to pay civil servants because traditional leaders are secretly getting cash ahead of regular workers. Ironically all the village heads who are receiving cash ahead of government workers are from Mrs Mugabe’s home area, Chikomba District.

Senior civil servants here also disclosed they could not do anything to rectify the matter because of political implications.

“We have been instructed to channel at least $20 000 per month towards the payment of village heads in Chikomba District alone. The village heads are being paid cash at a time the country is grappling with economic woes. We are just getting orders from individuals who work in the First Lady’s office,” said a government official who declined to be named.

Government sources said the powerful First Lady was working with some officials at Chikomba District Administrator’ s office.

Although sources close to the First Lady claimed she was using her own money to pay the village heads, government sources maintained the money was coming from the already dry state coffers.

The scam was unearthed by a team of government auditors who were also threatened with dismissal by the First Lady.

Mrs Mugabe is using state cash to pay village heads as she positions herself to replace her ailing 93-year-old husband, President Robert Mugabe. There are claims the dreaded First Lady is clandestinely paying traditional leaders- using state cash- across the country.