Bulawayo City officials 'block' reinstatement of divisive ex-deputy mayor

BULAWAYO City Council is reportedly disregarding a High Court order to reinstate former Bulawayo deputy mayor, Tinashe Kambarami.

The matter is shrouded in uncertainty following reports that council was refusing to abide by the court ruling in a bid to shut out the outspoken mayor, who is also Ward 3 councillor.

Bulawayo High Court Judge, Justice Martin Makonese a fortnight ago ordered Kambarami's return as deputy mayor and councillor.

NewZimbabwe.com sought comment from Town Clerk, Christopher Dube, and Mayor Solomon Mguni, who were both reluctant to give clarity on the matter.

"On that issue, please talk to the Town Clerk. There are processes which have to be done and he is the one in charge of those processes," said Mguni when asked whether Kambarami had been reinstated following the court order.

When approached for comment, Dube referred this reporter back to the mayor.

"The mayor has misled you. I cannot talk on issues to do with councillors as they are my employers. He is the one who can talk about the issue," said Dube.

However, council sources who spoke to NewZimbabwe.com accused the two senior council officials of blocking Kambarami from assuming his position.

"We were supposed to have a special council up-date meeting where the Kambarami issue was supposed to be discussed, but the mayor said he was in Plumtree and the meeting could not take place. We suspect the mayor is trying to buy time so that Kambarami remains an ordinary councillor," said councillor, who requested anonymity.

Kambarami insists he had reverted to his position as deputy mayor following the High Court ruling.

"According to court order, I have been reinstated as Ward 3 councillor as well as deputy mayor. Nobody has told me otherwise," Kambarami said.

In 2019, the then Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Thompson Mabhikwa declared null and void Kambarami's election as councillor after 1892 Mthwakazi Restoration Movement Trust and Nomalanga Dabengwa approached the court challenging his victory.

Kambarami, however, appealed the ruling at the Supreme Court which overturned Justice Mabhikwa's judgement.

Following the apex court ruling, the controversial dread-locked councillor tried to attend a full council meeting in council chambers, but the move was swiftly blocked by Mguni and Dube who claimed the local authority had not been served with the Supreme Court judgment.

At that time, Mguni also claimed that Kambarami was recalled from council by the Douglas Mwonzora led MDC-T.

Kambarami then approached the High Court leading to Justice Makonese's latest judgment.