Harare councillors ‘gang up’ to usurp power from Town Clerk, top boss says
Massive exposes' expected as Mayor Mafume appears before the commission tomorrow morning
Harare -Fights between Harare City Mayor, Jacob Mafume and suspended Town Clerk Hosea Chisango escalated as Harare Councillors “report daily” at Town House as if they are permanent council employees, Matthew Marara, a senior executive in the council said.
Marara an executive assistant to the Town Clerk said Councillors slot meetings almost every other week disturbing council work at times and influencing the way the city is run daily.
“Our Councillors are always at work with us, as if they are employees of council,” Marara told a commission of inquiry chaired by retired Justice Maphios Cheda.
“Councillors tend to get into operations to usurp the powers of the Town Clerk. No wonder there has been bad blood between the Town Clerk and the Mayor, they have been fighting and it’s for everyone to know.
“The current council (councillors) that we have is usurping executive powers. Council should operate like a board.”
Marara said the top Councillor, Mafume is one of the people who interfer in the day to day running of the city.
“You will find the Mayor himself, calling a low level workers to his office, giving directives when it is not supposed to be like that. I will say it without fear,” Marara said.
“I know I am digging my own grave when I go back to council. But the truth must be known by the world that this council, the city of Harare is not running things correctly,” Marara said.
“We used to have committees sitting once a month but now they may even sit twice or thrice a week making decisions of their own interests.”
The Harare City Councillors were in the news last year for splashing millions of US dollars in rate payers money for endless workshops held out of the capital at hotels while attendees pocket hefty allowances.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed the five member commission of inquiry chaired by retired Justice Maphios Cheda.
