Victoria Falls councillors on Monday defied their party leader, Nelson Chamisa, and voted for a mayor and deputy of their choice, reported CITE.
Ward 7 councillor Prince Thuso Moyo was elected as mayor and Ward 3 councillor Lungile Nyoni as his deputy.
The elections were supposed to be held last week but were disrupted by residents who alleged that Chamisa, who is the leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), sought to impose candidates.
Reports indicate that Chamisa had wanted Ward 1 councillor Ephias Mambume to become mayor and deputised by Ward 8 councillor Priscilah Mhlanga.
But Victoria residents said they wanted a local “Munizi” (descendant of Hwange districts) and not an outsider.
The local authority is dominated by CCC. The opposition party has 10 out of the 11 elected councillors and three Women’s Quota representatives.
Cllr Moyo was accused of fronting corrupt deals involving the sale of land on behalf of other councillors in the last council tenure.
In his acceptance speech, the new mayor, who is Managing Director of Platform Trading and Fruit and Vegetable Market, said:
I want to thank the outgoing mayor Somveli Dlamini, councillors, Town Clerk Ronnie Dube and his management for efforts made to make sure Victoria Falls attains its goal to be a smart green city.
One of the greatest challenges of the city is water and we need to combine efforts with management and Victoria Falls stakeholders for possible funding.
I am informed that the previous council was implementing a US$4 million reservoir project and once completed the issue of water will be a thing of the past.
Moyo’s deputy, Cllr Nyoni, is employed by a local tour operating company and runs Rush Hour Butcheries, shop and bottle store.
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