The City of Bulawayo has begun the search for a new Town Clerk following the expiration of Christopher Dube’s four-year contract at the end of last month.
In a statement released on Wednesday, October 2, Acting Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Edwin Ndlovu said the Council had decided to extend Dube’s contract on February 7, 2024, pending approval from the Local Government Board.
He added that a request for this approval was sent to the Local Government Board on March 25, 2024, but it was not granted by September 30, the date Dube’s contract ended. Said Ndlovu:
The Town Clerk’s (Mr Christopher Dube) four-year contract with the City of Bulawayo ended at midnight of Monday, 30 September 2024.
Whereas Council had resolved (7 February 2024) to extend the contract subject to approval by the Local Government Board, a request for approval was sent to the Local Government Board on 25 March 2024.
However, by the end of the day on 30 September 2024, such approval had not been obtained. In the circumstances therefore the Town Clerk vacated office at midnight on 30 September 2024 by expiration of contract.
The City of Bulawayo will soon commence the search for a new Town Clerk and in the meantime, as provided in the Urban Councils Act, Chapter 29:15, the Chamber Secretary (Mrs Sikhangele Zhou) will be Acting Town Clerk until a substantive Town Clerk is appointed.
According to Local Government and Public Works Ministry circular number 86 of 2018, heads of local authorities are mandated to serve for four years.
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