Sibanda denounces Makwavarara

Sibanda denounces Makwavarara

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By Staff Reporter
22/03/04
THE opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) deputy leader Gibson Sibanda has hailed the resignation of Harare acting mayor Sekesai Makwavarara whom he described as “not one of us”.

In an interview with New Zimbabwe.com in London on Sunday, Sibanda expressed hope that the remaining MDC councillors who dominate the council will now get on the job of regaining the trust of Harare residents.

“Makwavarara was never in the party structures, she was never one of us,” Sibanda who chairs the MDC’s national disciplinary committee said.

“Harare residents voted MDC councillors in Harare to stop the rot but so far it has all been squabbles. We hope her resignation will draw the line and the councillors can once again concentrate on serving the people who elected them,” he said.

Makwavarara resigned Thursday last week following pressure from the MDC leadership and other councillors. She remains the acting mayor although it is understood the government plans to suspend the council and appoint a commission to run the affairs of the city.

New Zimbabwe.com has been told that councillors will on Thursday move to pass a vote of no confidence in Makwavarara who insists that she resigned from the party while the MDC says she was axed.

"The provincial executive and the national disciplinary committee on Monday came up with a recommendation that she has to be expelled from the party," MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said.

"From then on she was suspended from any position in the party, therefore her quitting is immaterial.”

Harare mayor Elias Mudzuri was suspended by Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo on charges of alleged misconduct. A hearing was due to be conducted Monday before a committee chaired by a Zanu PF lawyer Johannes Tomana, Mercy Chizodza and Kuziva Nyamwanza.

MDC council chief whip Shingirayi Kondo (Ward 35, Mufakose) said: "She (Makwavarara) does not draw her mandate as acting deputy mayor from the residents. It is us councillors who voted her into that office and when we decide to remove her we should do so.”

He said the councillors would not allow her to preside over the Thursday meeting, as the councillors no longer recognised her leadership.

Kondo said councillors would choose someone else to act in her position before electing a substantive deputy mayor within 24 hours of passing the vote of no confidence.

The Urban Councils Act states that the office of the mayor should not be vacant for more than 24 hours. If that happens Government is mandated to dissolve council and appoint a commission to run the affairs of the city.
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