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Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
Harare City Council and the Local Government Board are set for collision yet again after the city fathers told the board that it does not have the mandate to appraise or review conditions of service for council officials.Speaking at a full council meeting to endorse the appointment of three new Harare City Council substantive directors, councillors argued that council should be allowed to monitor its own employees.

The Local Government Board put the three new directors Mr Tendai Kwenda (finance), Engineer Hosiah Chisango (water) and Mr Edmore Nhekairo (housing) on probation for three months.

Greendale councillor Stewart Musarurwa Mutizwa said acting town clerk Mrs Josephine Ncube should write to the Local Government Board to query the decision.

“Acting town clerk should write to the Local Government Board to tell them they are not entitled to do that. It is not within their area of jurisdiction,” he said.

Informal Sector chairperson, Clr Witon Njanjazi asked how the Local Government Board would appraise the trio when it was not their employer.

“Is it going to be the responsibility of the Local Government Board or council? How is the Local Government Board going to appraise them when it is not their employer,” he said.

Mabvuku councillor Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi urged the mayor, Bernard Manyenyeni, to work with the new directors.

“We want you mayor to work them regardless of your differences,” he said.

Cllr Manyenyeni has been calling for leadership renewal at council.

Human Resources and General Purposes Committee chairperson councillor Wellington Chikombo said Mrs Ncube should craft performance-based contracts for the trio and present it to his committee before they sign the contracts.

Council endorsed the position.

This is not the first time council has clashed with the Local Government Board.

Last year in April, Government rescinded the appointment of Mr Mushore soon after a council meeting that announced his appointment, saying council flouted procedures of appointing a town clerk as outlined in the Urban Councils Act and the Local Government Board.

According to the law in question, council was supposed to submit three candidates to the Local Government Board for approval.