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Ministry Suspends 13 Councillors
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
Extracted from The Resident Issue 36
June 14, 2004

Cllrs. Dr. Christopher Mushonga (Ward 17), Peter Chikwati (ward 43), Shingirai Kondo(Ward 35), Last Maengahama (Ward 32), Betty Suka (Ward 13), Peter Karimakwenda (Ward40), Tapfumaneyi Bangajena(Ward 41), Wendy Dehwa (Ward 31), Tichanzii Gandanga, Elijah Manjeya (Ward 15), Wellington Madzivanyika (Ward14), Linus Paul Mushonga(Ward 23) and Oswell Badza (Ward 16) will not be sitting in council for a long time to come, if ever, again. They were suspended by the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing for "Interfering with the management of council affairs." According to the short-lived Deputy (Acting) Mayor Dr. C. Mushonga, no reasons were given for the suspension.

However, The Herald ( June 2, 2004) reports that the Minister issued the suspension under Section 114 (1) of the Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:13] . As a matter of record its Chapter 29:15. Do any of the grounds below provide adequate justification to the Minister as they are the ones that informed his decision?

114 Suspension and dismissal of councillors
(1) Subject to this section, if the Minister has reasonable grounds for suspecting that a councillor—
(a) has contravened any provision of the Prevention of Corruption Act [Chapter 9:16]; or
(b) has contravened section one hundred and seven section one hundred and eight or section one hundred and nine; or
(c) has committed any offence involving dishonesty in connection with the funds or other property of the council; or
(d) has been responsible—
(i) through serious negligence, for the loss of any funds or property of the council; or
(ii) for gross mismanagement of the funds, property or affairs of the council;
whether or not the councillor’s responsibility is shared with other councillors or with any employees of the council; or
(e) has not relinquished office after his seat became vacant in terms of this Act;
the Minister may, by written notice to the councillor and the council concerned, suspend the councillor from exercising all or any of his functions as a councillor in terms of this Act or any other enactment.

The continued blatant interference in local government affairs will negatively impact on development of various cities in the country and make a mockery of representative democracy enshrined in the urban local government legislation.

The major political parties and the Ministry have all pledged their allegiance to efficient service delivery in Harare. In a communiqué sent out by the MDC, the suspension of the councillors is to be read as an affront to democracy.

"The suspension of legitimately elected Harare Councillors by Ignatius Chombo exposes further the regime's disregard of the citizens who voted them into office " , part of the statement read.

The MDC has charged that the Minister of Local Government masterminded the demise of the city by coming up with trumped up charges against the Executive Mayor of Harare, Eng. Elias Mudzuri at a time when he was beginning to deliver on "key issues such as water, roads and lighting." The Party's Secretary for Information and Publicity, Paul Themba Nyathi states in the statement that his party will fight any attempt to "stop people from access to efficient service delivery" (MDC Press Statement June 2004)

The Ministry of Local Government has claimed that it is just doing its job in Harare. In a statement published in The Sunday Mail 06 June 2004 , Dr. I. Chombo stated that:

"Simply put, local government is about the superintending, in a synchronised fashion of all cross cutting government endeavours to empower communities across the landscape. My Ministry's mandate is to, with the total support of sister ministries, translate the people's concerns and frustrations into opportunities"

Whether the endeavours mentioned by both parties are to the good of residents remains a thing to be seen. The Resident is however content that as long as the current chaos prevails, residents will have no end to the problems that they currently face.

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