Mayor, acting town clerk in public spat

Harare mayor, Bernard Manyenyeni last Thursday dressed down acting town clerk, Josephine Ncube, in full glare of residents, councillors, journalists and senior management over alleged maladministration of the municipal staff inventory - exposing the deep-rooted mistrust between the council bosses.

Manyenyeni accused Ncube of failing to administer the city's workforce and not providing councillors with timely updates on workers' grievances.

Manyenyeni and Ncube have had a frosty working relationship, which on two occasions led to the mayor's suspension for alleged insubordination after he hired banker James Mushore as town clerk ahead of the latter, who has been acting in that post since last year following Tendai Mahachi's departure.

The Zanu PF government, through Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere preferred Ncube to Mushore, who was chosen by the MDC-T-dominated council.