News / National
Elected councillors will elect Mayors
15 Aug 2013 at 07:37hrs | Views
Councillors from Zimbabwe's 92 local authorities will choose mayors and chairpersons from among their elected colleagues, a senior Government official has disclosed.The move would do away with the 2008 scenario that saw Harare councillors elect an outsider, Mr Muchadeyi Masunda, as the city's mayor.
Secretary for Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Mr Killian Mpingo disclosed yesterday that only elected councillors reserve the right to be mayors and chairpersons of the 92 local authorities.
"The elected councillors will elect one amongst themselves to be mayor or chairperson of each respective local authority," he said.
This means that besides handling the ceremonial duties of mayor, the mayor would also represent a specific ward in council. Mr Mpingo said the mayors would be ceremonial.
The MDC-T, which won the majority of council wards in Harare, has been toying with the idea of seconding one of its losing House of Assembly candidates to be mayor of Harare.
Names that have been doing the rounds include those of the party's deputy treasurer-general and outgoing Energy and Power Development Minister Elton Mangoma, outgoing Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Jameson Timba, Harare provincial spokesman and outgoing Legal Affairs Deputy Minister Obert Gutu and outgoing Co-Home Affairs Minister Theresa Makone.
Outgoing Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda has also been mentioned as a top contender. Contacted for comment, Mr Masunda said the decision on whether he should come back resides with the MDC-T leadership.
"The question of whether or not I will be asked to come back as mayor of Harare is in the lap of God," he said.
The Government directive leaves three elected councillors with a chance to lead Harare. These are councillor-elects Herbert Gomba, Enock Mupamaonde and Chris Mbanga.
Councillor-elect Gomba has been vying for the deputy mayorship while his two colleagues were angling for the mayorship.
It has also been established that all local authorities would follow strict Government guidelines on programmes and projects to implement.
According to Zimbabwe's new Constitution (Amendment Number 20), election of mayors and chairpersons of local authorities, other than mayors or chairpersons on whom executive powers have been conferred under Section 274(5), must be held at the first sitting of the councils concerned following a general election. All the elected councillors are yet to be installed into office.
Meanwhile, the jostling for the mayoral post is heating up in Bulawayo with outgoing Speaker of Parliament, Mr Lovemore Moyo, tipped to run for the city's top job.
Our Bulawayo Bureau reports that the race for the mayoral post in the country's second largest city has already caused a rift among newly elected MDC-T councillors, who have been divided into two rival camps.
According to sources within the party, MDC-T national chairperson, Mr Moyo, who lost the Matobo North seat in the just ended elections has been left with no choice but to squeeze himself among the councillors.
However, his interest might come to nought as Mr Mpingo has disclosed that only elected councillors will be elected mayors and chairpersons of the 92 local authorities.
But when contacted for comment, Mr Moyo admitted that if afforded an opportunity by his party to fill the mayoral post, he would not decline the offer. He, however, refuted reports that he had publicly expressed interest in the post.
"I did not join the race for the Bulawayo mayoral post. In fact that is mere speculation and I am actually also hearing from some people. However, I would like to make it clear that if my party and people of Bulawayo choose to appoint me to the post I will not resist. My party comes first and I will accept any deployment," he said.
Mr Moyo allegedly elbowed out Mr Watchy Sibanda from contesting against him in Matobo North National Assembly seat when the party held its primary elections.
Other candidates who are jostling for the mayoral post are National University of Science and Technology (Nust) lecturer, Dr Mandla Nyathi, prominent city lawyer Mr Kucaca Phulu, local businessman and farmer, Mr Joubert Mangena, and returning Councillors Earnest Rafemoyo and Martin Moyo.
Secretary for Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Mr Killian Mpingo disclosed yesterday that only elected councillors reserve the right to be mayors and chairpersons of the 92 local authorities.
"The elected councillors will elect one amongst themselves to be mayor or chairperson of each respective local authority," he said.
This means that besides handling the ceremonial duties of mayor, the mayor would also represent a specific ward in council. Mr Mpingo said the mayors would be ceremonial.
The MDC-T, which won the majority of council wards in Harare, has been toying with the idea of seconding one of its losing House of Assembly candidates to be mayor of Harare.
Names that have been doing the rounds include those of the party's deputy treasurer-general and outgoing Energy and Power Development Minister Elton Mangoma, outgoing Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Jameson Timba, Harare provincial spokesman and outgoing Legal Affairs Deputy Minister Obert Gutu and outgoing Co-Home Affairs Minister Theresa Makone.
Outgoing Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda has also been mentioned as a top contender. Contacted for comment, Mr Masunda said the decision on whether he should come back resides with the MDC-T leadership.
"The question of whether or not I will be asked to come back as mayor of Harare is in the lap of God," he said.
The Government directive leaves three elected councillors with a chance to lead Harare. These are councillor-elects Herbert Gomba, Enock Mupamaonde and Chris Mbanga.
Councillor-elect Gomba has been vying for the deputy mayorship while his two colleagues were angling for the mayorship.
According to Zimbabwe's new Constitution (Amendment Number 20), election of mayors and chairpersons of local authorities, other than mayors or chairpersons on whom executive powers have been conferred under Section 274(5), must be held at the first sitting of the councils concerned following a general election. All the elected councillors are yet to be installed into office.
Meanwhile, the jostling for the mayoral post is heating up in Bulawayo with outgoing Speaker of Parliament, Mr Lovemore Moyo, tipped to run for the city's top job.
Our Bulawayo Bureau reports that the race for the mayoral post in the country's second largest city has already caused a rift among newly elected MDC-T councillors, who have been divided into two rival camps.
According to sources within the party, MDC-T national chairperson, Mr Moyo, who lost the Matobo North seat in the just ended elections has been left with no choice but to squeeze himself among the councillors.
However, his interest might come to nought as Mr Mpingo has disclosed that only elected councillors will be elected mayors and chairpersons of the 92 local authorities.
But when contacted for comment, Mr Moyo admitted that if afforded an opportunity by his party to fill the mayoral post, he would not decline the offer. He, however, refuted reports that he had publicly expressed interest in the post.
"I did not join the race for the Bulawayo mayoral post. In fact that is mere speculation and I am actually also hearing from some people. However, I would like to make it clear that if my party and people of Bulawayo choose to appoint me to the post I will not resist. My party comes first and I will accept any deployment," he said.
Mr Moyo allegedly elbowed out Mr Watchy Sibanda from contesting against him in Matobo North National Assembly seat when the party held its primary elections.
Other candidates who are jostling for the mayoral post are National University of Science and Technology (Nust) lecturer, Dr Mandla Nyathi, prominent city lawyer Mr Kucaca Phulu, local businessman and farmer, Mr Joubert Mangena, and returning Councillors Earnest Rafemoyo and Martin Moyo.
Source - Chronicle
