July Moyo nullifies new Harare Mayor poll

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THE ministry of local government has dismissed Enock Mupamawonde’s recent election as acting Harare Mayor, saying the meeting which appointed him was not properly convened.

Mupamawonde was elected by Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) councillors during an ordinary council meeting last Friday.

The CCC councillors defied local government minister July Moyo’s directive that all recently elected councillors must not get involved in council activities, and the MDC-T sitting mayors must remain in office despite losing in the March 26 by-elections.

In a letter dated 26 April 2022, addressed to acting Harare town clerk Phakamile Moyo, local government ministry acting secretary Lameck Mudyiwa said the decision by CCC councillors is null and void.

“It has come to my attention that on 22 April 2022, an illegal meeting was convened, where an acting mayor was elected.

“We have observed that this meeting, which purportedly elected an acting mayor, was not properly convened as there was no declaration of vacancy and no notice by the chamber secretary to convene the meeting, hence it was illegal.

“Therefore, whatever decisions and resolutions were made during that meeting are null and void.

“Mutizwa, who has been the acting mayor, must continue in that acting capacity until Jacob Mafume’s issues are finalised by the court and/or tribunal,” the letter reads.

Mutizwa has been Moyo’s preferred candidate for the capital’s top post since the suspension of Mafume, in what the CCC claims is a ploy to avoid them finding out and publicising illicit dealings at Town House.