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Mr Mushore

Municipal Reporter
The special council meeting, which was expected to reverse an earlier resolution by Harare councillors to appoint former NMB chief executive Mr James Mushore as town clerk has been postponed to next Thursday to allow acting Mayor Christopher Mbanga and some councillors to attend the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

As directed by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, councillors were expected to reverse their decision on Monday, but according to the agenda of the supposed meeting seen by The Herald, Mr Mushore was supposed to be sent on leave with full benefits while council awaits the court ruling on the matter.

Sources at Town House said the agenda of the meeting, which came from MDC-T, was the main reason the meeting did not take place because councillors did not want to send Mr Mushore on leave but wanted to reverse their earlier resolution.

“Councillors do not want the Mushore case to affect their continued stay in council. They want to reverse their resolution and move on. The problem is Mushore is refusing to stay at home while the matter is being dealt with by the courts.”

“As we speak, he is in office and is likely to represent the city at ZITF. The MDC-T itself is divided over the matter, with party leader Morgan Tsvangirai siding with the councillors and the Acting Mayor (Clr Mbanga), while other party members want Mr Mushore to stay,” said the source.

Councillors were informed that the meeting had been postponed and a notice to that effect was put on the councillors’ notice board at Town House.

Clr Mbanga yesterday confirmed that the special council meeting had been postponed but could not shed more details.

“We postponed the special council meeting to Thursday next week,” he said.

The decision to fire Mr Mushore could trigger a costly lawsuit from the banker who has signed a two-year contract of employment and an observer said Mr Mushore was likely to demand over $240 000 if he was to relinquish his new post.

He was set to earn over $10 000 a month and had already assumed duty.

Government a fortnight ago rescinded Mr Mushore’s appointment soon after a council meeting that announced his appointment, saying council flouted procedures for appointing a town clerk as outlined in the Urban Councils Act and Local Government Board regul- ations.

Some residents’ associations are challenging the decision at the High Court.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Kasukuwere had told council, the former banker’s appointment was illegal, but it proceeded to give Mr Mushore the job despite disapproval by the Local Government Board.

As a result Mayor Manyenyeni was suspended last week and his deputy Clr Mbanga is now Acting Mayor.