Khupe ally snatches Chinhoyi Mayoral post

LITTLE KNOWN MDC-T councillor, Garikayi Dendera surprised all-and-sundry Friday when he got nomination to contest the Chinhoyi mayoral post which he went on to win during elections held at Town House.

Dendera of Ward 5 beat recently-reinstated Zanu-PF councillor Voster Mashevedzanwa after polling five against four votes, respectively.

Unwell councillor Mercy Mada (Ward 6), who attended the election in a wheelchair, won the deputy mayor's post after garnering six votes, while her contender, Zanu-PF's Innocent Mangwanya polled a paltry three votes.

Alderman Blackmore Nyangairo had initially been tipped to win the mayoral race, but failed to get a single nomination.

The elections followed the expulsion this week, of former mayor Dyke Makumbi (ward 12) and deputy mayor Chipo Mlotshwa (ward 14) by MDC-T interim president Thokozani Khupe along side four other ward councillors believed to be loyal to the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC-Alliance.

The other four are Brighton Mhizha (ward 4), Richard Vhitirinyu (ward 3), Patricia Chibaya (ward 2) and Mukudzei Chigumbura (ward 8).

Chinhoyi Municipality is now left with nine out of a possible 15 councillors.