MDC-T suspends Mbanga

The MDC-T has suspended Acting Harare Mayor Christopher Mbanga and has recalled him from Town House for failing to recognise the appointment of former banker Mr James Mushore as the city's town clerk.

The party's National Standing Committee met last week and unanimously agreed to suspend Clr Mbanga who is now expected to appear before the party's National Disciplinary Committee within the next 14 days.

Clr Mbanga, however, said he is yet to receive a letter outlining the position, although reports suggest that the party's secretary for local government, Mr Eddie Cross, served him with the letter.

Government reversed the appointment of Mr Mushore soon after a council meeting that announced his appointment, saying council flouted procedures for appointing a town clerk as outlined in the Urban Councils Act and Local Government Board regulations.

According to the law in question, council was supposed to submit three candidates to the Local Government Board for approval.

Government later suspended Mayor Barnard Manyenyeni over the issue.

MDC-T spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu yesterday confirmed that Clr Mbanga has been suspended.

"Our National Standing Committee had a meeting on Wednesday last week. It was unanimously resolved that we suspend Clr Mbanga with immediate effect.

"He will appear before the National Disciplinary Committee chaired by our national chairman Mr Lovemore Moyo within 14 days," he said.

Said Clr Mbanga: "Communications of that nature come from the secretary general (Mr Douglas Mwonzora). That has not been communicated to me yet."

Communications seen by our sister paper The Sunday Mail show that Mr Mushore had threatened to leave if MDC-T failed to get rid of Clr Mbanga.

In the communication, Mr Mushore calls Clr Mbanga "the head of the snake" at Harare City Council. MDC-T councillors are deeply divided over Mr Mushore's appointment to the extent of failing to even convene a special full council meeting to hammer out a solution.

Last week Mr Mushore questioned Clr Mbanga on why he had taken time to request him to go on leave since the Special Council meeting which sent him on forced leave until determination of matters before the courts.

"I hope that the sudden delivery of your month old letter to me has not been motivated by any attempts on your part to derail the meeting which you are aware I requested with the chamber secretary Mrs (Josephine) Ncube, to begin the investigation into alleged corrupt activities and misuse of ratepayers' funds," reads the letter.

"It is my sincere hope that your reluctance to involve yourself actively and your apparent support of her being titled 'Acting Town Clerk' is not the motivation behind this special resolution letter as my mandate requires me to serve the ratepayers with transparency."

In response to Mr Mushore's letter, Clr Mbanga said: "I told him if you are town clerk as you purport, why didn't you read the council resolution? I also told him that he was supposed to be in the chamber, so why did he want me to write to him, when he is the custodian of council minutes."