BY BLESSED MHLANGA
LOCAL Government minister July Moyo has suspended Harare mayor Jacob Mafume for the fourth time and as previously, without convening a disciplinary hearing.
Mafume, who is also the MDC Alliance secretary for local government, returned to work two weeks ago after the expiry of his third suspension.
In the latest suspension dated December 17, Moyo accused Mafume of committing gross acts of misconduct and high levels of incompetence.
“I have reasonable grounds for suspecting that you councillor Jacob Mafume have committed acts of gross misconduct, gross incompetence and wilful violation of the law as referenced in subsection (1)(b)(c) and (e) and hereby suspend you with immediate effect,” Moyo wrote.
Mafume, who stands accused of corruption, has had a difficult time serving as Harare mayor after defeating MDC-T candidate Stewart Mutizwa to land the post.
Mutizwa is allegedly favoured by Moyo.
“That is childish, no wonder we can’t deliver as councils, they are suspending mayors willy-nilly,” Mafume said yesterday.
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“The Act allows the loser of the last election to supervise the winner, in this case we beat Zanu PF in council elections but because they stole the presidential elections they are now supervising us using the Urban Councils Act.
“This is so childish they are throwing toys and the baby out of the pram,” Mafume said.
A few days before his ouster, Mafume wrote to Mutizwa and the town clerk Phakamile Moyo, accusing them of failing to respect the law on his return to office.
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