The Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo has appointed Stewart Musarurwa Mutizwa as the acting Mayor for Harare.
Mutizwa has been Harare’s acting Mayor since December 2020 following the suspension of councillor Jacob Mafume who has a pending corruption case in which he is accused of parcelling council stands without following due process.
Mafume denies the allegations adding that the charges are trumped up and are meant to create a vacuum that will be filled by an individual favoured by the governing ZANU PF. In a letter to the local authority, Minister Moyo said:
City of Harare APPOINTMENT OF ACTING MAYOR-CITY OF HARARE,
The above matter refers. I have taken note of the contents of the letter dated 24 September 2021 in which a certificate on the declaration of vacancy in the office of the Mayor City of Harare was issued by the Acting Town Clerk. The post has been vacant since 14 September 2021 and the Council has failed and or neglected to appoint an Acting Mayor in terms of Section 104 of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15). In terms of Section 104 (2) of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15), I hereby appoint S. M. Mutizwa Ward 9 Greendale Councillor as the Acting Mayor for City of Harare with immediate effect.
There has been chaos at the local government authority amid reports that Council management was not sure on whether to report to the suspended Mayor Jacob Mafume or acting Mayor Stewart Musarurwa Mutizwa.
Both Mafume and Mutizwa claimed to be the mayor.
In August, a full council meeting was aborted due to the divisions.
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