By James Muonwa, Mashonaland West Correspondent

LOCAL GOVERNMENT minister, July Moyo has ordered the immediate reinstatement of suspended Chinhoyi Ward 11 councillor Voster Mashevedzanwa, who is currently on bail pending appeal following his incarceration for assaulting a police officer on duty.

Mashevedzanwa (41) was early this year convicted and sentenced to four years in jail by Chinhoyi magistrate Tapiwa Banda for assault and resisting arrest.

He subsequently spent over a month in jail before lodging a High Court appeal and was granted bail.

However, Moyo, through powers vested in him by the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15), recently wrote to the Chinhoyi Municipality instructing the immediate lifting of the suspension.

Mashevedzanwa told NewZimbabwe.com he was happy to have resumed work after almost a year in the political wilderness.

“Yes, the ministerial communication came and was recently read in council chambers notifying fellow councillors that l have returned to continue with my duties,” said the vocal councillor.

Mashevedzanwa, who is finance committee chairperson, returns at a time council is seized with formulating a supplementary budget and the 2021 budget.

He is one of the two Zanu PF councillors in Chinhoyi, with MDC Alliance having 13.

The councillor, together with eight accomplices, Desire Mwarukira, Felix Gonesi, Njabulo Ndlovu, Greythan Nyarukokora, Simbarashe Tapfumanei, Kudzanai Samuel, Melusi Ndlovu and Blessing Nyango were facing two counts of assault and were convicted after a full trial which took long to kick-off.

The councillor and his co-accused have appealed to the High Court against both conviction and sentence.

Mashevedzanwa last week filed his curriculum vitae (CV) to contest the security department post in the impending Zanu PF Makonde district coordination committee (DCC) elections set for November.