THE MDC-T-dominated Gokwe Town Council is headed for a legal showdown with suspended chief administration officer Alexander Nyandoro amid allegations the local authority was divided over the decision to suspend other senior council officials.
REPORT BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE OWN CORRESPONDENT
Other councillors were now alleging intimidation tactics by a powerful faction within council reportedly led by party secretary-general Tendai Biti to cow them into supporting the decision to fire all top council officials reportedly linked to a faction led by national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa, ex-town secretary Tapiwa Marongwe or Zanu PF.
Both Biti and Chamisa have repeatedly denied leading factions in the party. The threats follow reports that the case against Nyandoro, which was also to form the basis for charges against other top officials facing suspension, was reportedly crumbling as other councillors refused to be part of the “purge”.
A councillor who requested not to be named told NewsDay yesterday that they were being pressured by their colleagues to cause mayhem within the local authority with the aid of a few council officials who have been promised “new posts” in council.
Most of the councillors reportedly lost MDC-T provincial elections to new challengers who will represent the party at the next ward elections.
“We are being pressured by our colleagues to dismiss all employees who were perceived to support the former town secretary (Tapiwa Marongwe) and this is not good for the development of the town. We do not want to be part of this circus,” said one of the councillors who refused to be named.
Nyandoro was suspended last month on allegations of forging documents for the purchase of a council vehicle, failing to bring necessary receipts after the purchase of kerb blocks and writing a letter to the provincial administrator castigating the local authority for suspending Marongwe.
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Town planner and acting town secretary Clemence Madondo on Monday had told NewsDay the matter was at its infancy. In his suspension letter, he said Nyandoro had been involved in an act of dishonest and/or negligent performance of duty in terms of section 140(1) (b) of the Urban Councils Act [chapter 29:15]. But Nyandoro through lawyer Reginald Chidawanyika denied all the charges, labelling the allegations “vague and embarrassing to put him on his defence”.
On forgery allegations, Nyandoro said: “There is evidence of cautioned statements to the police by the housing officer Mr Mlindazwe Sithole and the council’s Internal Auditor Mr Tavaziva Mavhengere, the authors stating that the meeting to increase the value of the Toyota D4D vehicle was indeed held.”
