Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo has appointed a four-member tribunal to probe the allegations of misconduct against six suspended Chitungwiza Municipality CCC councillors.
Moyo said Chitungwiza Municipality would bear the costs of the inquiry.
The councillors are former mayor Lovemore Maiko, former deputy mayor Musa Makweza, CCC chief whip Richard Chamutsa, Peter Matiringe, Kudakwashe John and Chengetai Nyagondo.
The six were suspended on 10 October after they convened an “illegal” meeting on 07 October where Maiko was reinstated as mayor.
Chitungwiza had been without a mayor since March this year when Maiko was recalled by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T.
Efforts to hold elections to replace Maiko failed to take place since March after Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution secretary Tafadzwa Muguti, acting mayor Kiven Mutimbanyoka and more recently a ZANU PF councillor Reginald Mashingaidze approached the High Court to block the move.
The councillors, however, went ahead and re-elected Maiko on 7 October leading to their arrest for convening an illegal council meeting.
Minister Moyo said a tribunal to investigate the CCC councillors would be chaired by Advocate Rachael Chibaya. Wrote Moyo:
Pursuant to the suspension, in terms of Section 114A of the Local Government Laws Amendment of 2016, I hereby appoint you as member of a tribunal to look into allegations of misconduct levelled against the councillors.
The other members of the tribunal are Local Government Board member Hamandishe Chinyengetere, Ministry of Local Government’s principal administrative officer Leonard Gopoza, corporate lawyer Hilda Ndawana and the Public Service Commission’s Commissioner Ozious Hove. | The Standard