The Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo, has suspended six Chitungwiza councillors including former mayor Lovemore Maiko for convening an illegal meeting last week.
The suspended councillors are members of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party led by Nelson Chamisa, a former minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services during the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The Herald reports that during the alleged illegal meeting, Maiko was illegally re-elected mayor despite a pending court case.
Other councillors suspended are:
i). Musa Makweza ward (19) – Former deputy mayor,
ii). Kudakwashe Johns (ward 21),
iii). Chengetai Nyagondo (ward 14),
iv). Richard Chamutsa (ward 5) and
v). Peter Matiringe (ward 10).
According to the suspension letters, minister Moyo said there were reasonable grounds for suspecting that the councillors committed acts of gross misconduct, gross incompetence and wilful violation of the law.
Minister Moyo said the suspensions were in line with Section 114 (2) of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15) as amended by the Local Government Laws Amendment Act number 8 of 2016.