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Harare in limbo as Manyenyeni returns

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UNCERTAINTY reigned supreme at Town House yesterday as Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni bounced back, as the local authority ordered town clerk James Mushore to stop reporting for duty pending the outcome of his court case.

UNCERTAINTY reigned supreme at Town House yesterday as Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni bounced back, as the local authority ordered town clerk James Mushore to stop reporting for duty pending the outcome of his court case.

BY MUNESU NYAKUDYA

HARARE-MAYOR-MANYENYENI

Mushore received his suspension letter from deputy mayor Christopher Mbanga.

“I am just carrying out a council resolution passed in terms of the special council meeting we held last month,” Mbanga said.

But Mushore said he was yet to receive the letter.

“I am in my office now and have not received the said letter. As far as I am aware, the special council meeting was convened at the behest of seven councillors, when the law requires at least a third of councillors. It would mean 16 councillors in the case of Harare.

As far as I am concerned, any resolution made at that meeting is void,” Mushore said.

Asked why it had taken him exactly a month to implement the resolution, Mbanga retorted: “There were other problems to be attended to,” adding: “The issue of the number of councillors who requested the meeting is a technical issue that we will consult our lawyers on.”

Just over a month ago, Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere suspended Manyenyeni on charges that he had unprocedurally caused Mushore’s appointment as town clerk circumventing the Local Government Board.

Manyenyeni yesterday said he was happy to be back to resume his mandate, but insisted Mushore was the town clerk.

“I have a mandate to lead the council, I am back to fulfil that mandate. Nothing has changed, my commitment to duty remains the same. Things that must be done have to be accomplished,” he said.

“As far as we all know, Mushore was appointed town clerk by council, he remains unacceptable to the government, minister Kasukuwere and Zanu PF, but as for the council, that is the man that we have chosen to carry out the mandate. We think we have found the right person to do the job.”