Acting Harare mayor chickens out

Chris Mbanga newly-appointed Harare acting mayor yesterday chickened out and called off a full council meeting he had arranged after his party, the MDC-T, threatened to recall him for insubordination.

The MDC-T, which has the majority councillors at Harare's Town House, has refused to recognize Mbanga's recent appointment as acting mayor by Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere.

The main opposition party has insisted that suspended mayor Bernard Manyenyeni remains in the post.

Manyenyeni was last week suspended by Kasukuwere for alleged insubordination and replaced by Mbanga. Both Mbanga and Manyenyeni are MDC-T councillors.