Four shortlisted for Bulawayo town clerk post

THE Bulawayo City Council has shortlisted four candidates for the post of town clerk, which they will forward to the Local Government Board for consideration, Sunday News has learnt.

Although the city's Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo, who was leading the interviewing panel for the position, could not confirm or deny the shortlist, Sunday News has gathered that the front-runner for the top position in the city is Victoria Falls Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube.

Former Tsholotsho Rural District Council chief executive officer, Mr Ronnie Dube is on the list that also includes Acting Town Clerk, Mrs Sikhangele Zhou and Hwange Colliery finance manager Mr Gift Sibanda.

Clr Moyo said: "The process is still on, we are meant to call a special council meeting where the outcome will be discussed. Right now our human resources manager is compiling the minutes regarding the whole interview process, the scoring and the curriculum vitaes of all those who had applied for the position."

It has also emerged that Bulawayo Provincial Administrator Mrs Khonzani Ncube and Chitungwiza Town Secretary Mr George Makunde did not apply for the position as had earlier been reported.

Nonetheless, impeccable council sources revealed that the process was now complete confirming the four names that would be forwarded for consideration to the local government board.

"The whole process has been completed, interviews were conducted a couple of weeks ago now we will hold a special council meeting then the list will be forwarded to the Local Government board, but with the outcome of the interviews we expect the Victoria Falls Town Clerk (Mr Christopher Dube) to take over," said a source.

The source further revealed that councillors wanted to fast track the appointment of the new town clerk amid fears that they could face the chop with the pending investigation on corruption allegations levelled against the councillors.

"The fear is that the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Saviour Kasukuwere could suspend all the councillors before they appoint the town clerk hence the move to fast track the whole process. Some councillors are however, sceptical as they feel that the Government might block the process with the whole corruption story dangling over them."

However, responding to written questions, a couple of months ago, Clr Moyo had said they should have completed the whole process of appointing the new town clerk by end of last month, meaning the process is already one month behind.

"According to the laid down procedure the post is flighted in the print media. The applications will be received until the closing day, Thursday 31 March 2016. The process thereafter in terms of the Urban Councils Act will entail the shortlisting of the candidates by the General Purposes committee on the first or second week of April.

"Interviews will then be done by the General Purposes committee as the interviewing panel at a special meeting on the third or fourth week of April. The committee will then submit a report and recommendations to council for ratification on 4 May," Clr Moyo is quoted as saying.

He said the local authority was meant to submit the name of the successful candidate to the Local Government Board in the second week of May after which the board was to conduct their on interview and subsequently communicate their decision to the local authority.