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Mr Mushore

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter—
MDC-T-led Harare City Council has finally terminated the contract of former NMBZ Bank chief executive Mr James Mushore and the former banker will smile all the way to the bank as the municipality owes him over $165 000 in salary arrears and benefits. Mr Mushore could have pocketed a cool $251 400 if council had continued with him as town clerk. The city is now expected to appoint a new town clerk.

Read more:

• Mushore torches storm at Town House
• Mushore vows to remain at Town House
• MDC-T councillors get cold feet on Mushore
• Mushore must respect the law: Kasukuwere
• Mushore sent on forced leave
• High Court dismisses Mushore’s application
• Idle Mushore demands $70k
• Mushore’s salary balloons
• Kasukuwere blocks Mushore return
• Mushore row costs council $165k

Mr Mushore signed a two-year contract with Harare City Council on April 1 last year before being sent on forced leave a week later after Government rescinded the appointment. Government argued his appointment was unprocedural and violated the Urban Councils Act.

According to the law in question, council was supposed to submit the names of three candidates to the Local Government Board for approval. Harare has not been decisive on the matter, hiding under the pretext that Mr Mushore had a pending matter at the Labour Court against council.

The Human Resources and General Purposes Committee met yesterday evening and decided to terminate the contract.

Although chairperson of the committee Councillor Wellington Chikombo could not be reached for comment, a councillor in the committee said they were soon going to engage a new town clerk.

“This matter has been dragging for long and the delay by the Labour Court in delivering judgment on the matter has not helped,” said the councillor. “We have decided that we terminate Mr Mushore’s contract so that we can move forward as a city.”

Mr Mushore’s appointment was sanctioned by the MDC-T leadership which put pressure on former Harare deputy mayor Chris Mbanga to resign over allegations that he defied a party directive not to suspend him.

Last year, the High Court ruled that Mr Mushore was entitled to his salary and benefits and he had since threatened to sue council.
Mr Mushore had approached the High Court after Acting Mayor Cllr Chris Mbanga locked him out of his office.

Although the High Court dismissed his application with costs, it ruled that Mr Mushore was entitled to his salary and benefits.
The court also ruled that Mr Mushore was not sus- pended.

His benefits included fuel, airtime and an official vehicle.
According to his contract, Mr Mushore was entitled to a monthly salary of $10 475.

In October last year, Mr Mushore’s lawyers – Gill, Godlonton and Gerrans – wrote to council demanding that Harare pay him a salary.
By then his salary arrears totalled $70 000.