MDC-T bowed to Mushore

In one of the public seminars organized by the Mass Public Opinion Institute in Harare recently, the MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu who was one of the panelists on that day, told the audience with authority that James Mushore was not a member of his party.

He said Harare just needed a qualified and competent person in the mold of Mushore whom he said outperformed other candidates. Agreed, he outperformed others. Nevertheless his competence or aptitude is not a licence to breach the law of the country that governs local urban and rural governance, particularly the hiring of a town clerk.

The ongoing circus at Town House exposes Gutu's lies. According to The Sunday Mail, Mushore threatened to leave the Town House if the MDC-T did not get rid of acting mayor, Councilor Chris Mbanga whom he described as the head of the snake at Harare City Council.

"The head of the snake at the council is Mbanga. He must be recalled. If that does not happen immediately then I must reconsider my position as effectively my hands are tied behind my back," Mushore is quoted as having said. That's a threat isn't it?

 Until this letter, we had believed Gutu and thought Mushore was just an apolitical professional who was just luck to land the town clerk's job but became a victim of Bernard Manyenyeni's arrogance of breaching the law. We thought he went through a transparent selection process in which he genuinely emerged the frontrunner. We again thought he was an innocent gentleman who was just a victim of politically motivated suspicions.
That communication proves us all wrong. His letter smacks of a political appointee reporting to his mother party or parent ministry. Why would Mushore complain to the MDC-T if he was not its member? These are the questions that Gutu or the MDC-T must respond to if they want us to believe their story. Mushore threatened to reconsider his position. This makes it clear that there is an agreed position between him and the MDC-T. Which position is this?

It is apparent that Mushore is being used by the MDC-T as political pawn. He is at the Town House on a false promise of protection. Unfortunately that move has cheapened his dignity as a well-read banker. Nobody can expect a man like Mr Mushore to be coerced into behaving like a hooligan, coming to ‘work' with no paper passing through your office and nobody talking to you. It's just too much; he must spare his children from being laughing stocks at school. At times educational level attained does not always translate into wisdom. For Mushore to endure all that embarrassment there must be some great interests at stake.

A town clerk is not a political appointee. Thus, the MDC-T has no business in the employment of same. This is a brazen interference in city council. If they can interfere when they are still in opposition, what more if they get into power. They have been complaining of Zanu PF's interference in the city councils' operations. That's duplicity.

Zanu PF does not get in the way of council operations. Rural and urban councils fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing which plays an oversight role over these councils. This ministry is under a Zanu PF minister. When the minister pointed out where the city fathers erred, it was not a political or a Zanu PF move. There are laws which govern the employment of a town clerk which the MDC-T dominated council was forced to ignore by their principals. The MDC-T councilors themselves know that there was a miscalculation in the employment of Mushore. This explains why they are mounting a strong resistance to Mushore to an extent of locking him out of the clerk's office. It is not that they are supporting government, as their party now suspects, but they know they cannot fight a law which is very clear. If it is not clear to them, then the courts must be allowed to put the case to rest. Isn't that the rule of law that they have been challenging Zanu PF to uphold?

Unfortunately Mbanga has been suspended for upholding the rule of law. This is another Sekesai Makwavarara scenario in the making. History is set to repeat itself but the MDC-T does not give a hoot as long as they keep their Mushore at Town House. Mbanga has been suspended merely because he is the "head of the snake at the council." The MDC-T has bowed to Mushore's demand. There must be some major agreements that Mushore struck with the MDC-T. An ordinary town clerk aspirant cannot be so powerful to an extent of causing the MDC-T to suspend Morgan Tsvangirai's former chief of staff.

The real story behind the circus at Town House is yet to be unearthed. Councilor Manyenyeni was suspended over Mushore's issue but that did not move the MDC-T. He was suspended twice and each time he complied. His party did not tell him to stay put. The MDC-T can rather sacrifice Manyenyeni than Mushore. What is in Mushore that the MDC-T can dare become such lawless and even risk another split, just for his sake. Whatever it is, the fiasco is grossly affecting service delivery in the capital city and scaring away investors.