Melody Chingarande
Melody Chingarande is a Zimbabwean politician and a member of MDC Alliance. Chingarande was recalled in August 2021 from her position as Ward 5 councillor and Kwekwe deputy mayor by Douglas Mwonzora.
Service/Career
Chingarande was recalled by Douglas Mwonzora in August 2021. MDC Alliance Midlands Provincial spokesperson Takavafira Zhou said Mwonzora’s party was confident of getting the post but failed to do so because of MDC Alliance's popularity in council. He said Mwonzora recalled Chingarande because he was angry because his party representatives did not land the deputy mayor post. [1] A few days prior to her recall, Melody Chingarande was elected Kwekwe deputy mayor making Kwekwe the first city in Zimbabwe to have a mayor (Councillor Angeline Kasipo) and a deputy who were both female. Chingarande joined an all female cast which included Cllr Kasipo, acting town clerk Dr [[Lucia Mnkandla[[, treasurer Rejoice Dandira and health director Dr Marry Muchekeza.
She replaced the late deputy mayor Shadreck Tobaiwa who succumbed to cancer in July 2021, leaving Kwekwe with 13 councillors. Chingarande’s election had its own share of controversy after a section of the councillors boycotted the election process accusing councillor Kasipo of failing to give notice for the election.
Five councillors under Douglas Mwonzora’s MDC-T boycotted the election and walked out of the meeting venue at the Civic Centre. Eight councillors including from MDC Alliance as well as the only Zanu PF representative, Maclean Nyamucherera were left to unanimously elect Chingarande. In an interview, Cllr Kasipo confirmed there was no notice given but said everything was done above board.[2]
2021 Mayor Elected
In August 2021, MDC-T councillor for Ward 2 in Kwekwe Future Titora was elected the new mayor of Kwekwe, while Ward 3 Pikurai Msipa (MDC Alliance) was elected deputy mayor. This was after a rerun caused by a deadlock after she received the same number of votes as MDC Alliance Ward 7 councillor Charles Juta.
The mayoral and deputy mayor posts fell vacant following the recall of Angeline Kasipo (Ward 10) and Melody Chingarande (Ward 5) respectively, by the MDC T, together with Ward 12 councillor Washington Moyo.
Titora, Kwekwe`s second successive female mayor, appealed to fellow Councillors prioritise service delivery, desist from “bickering” and “spearhead development within the city’. [3]
2023 Mayor Elected
Kwekwe Cllrs elected Henry Madzorera (Cllr, Ward 10 and former Health Minister) unopposed, as Mayor, in September 2023. His elected deputy was Melody Chingarande, also elected uncontested. CCC has 16 out of 18 councillors in Kwekwe. [4]
References
- ↑ Mwonzora Recalls Kwekwe Mayor, Deputy, NewZimbabwe.com, Published: August 7, 2021, Retrieved: August 7, 2021
- ↑ Michael Magoronga, New deputy mayor for Kwekwe, The Chronicle, Published: August 4, 2021, Retrieved: August 7, 2021
- ↑ Kwekwe city gets new mayor., 984 Midlands, Published: 20 August 2021, Retrieved: 22 September 2023
- ↑ Redcliff, Kwekwe elect new mayors, The Chronicle, Published: 21 September 2023, Retrieved: 22 September 2023
