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Cllr Kombayi

Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
FORMER Gweru mayor, Hamutendi Kombayi, attended his first full council meeting yesterday following his reinstatement by the High Court as an ordinary councillor at the end of October.Clr Kombayi, who together with Clr Kenneth Sithole, were contesting their sacking from council.

They won their case after a Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi set aside the decision by an independent tribunal which recommended their sacking. Justice Mathonsi also ordered that Kombayi and Sithole be reinstated as councillors. During a full council meeting held at the town house, Cllr Kombayi sat with the rest of the councillors who included Cllr Sithole while the current Mayor, Cllr Charles Chikozho chaired the meeting. Cllr Chikozho welcomed Cllrs’ Kombayi and Sithole.

“We are now fully constituted since now we have 18 councillors in the room representing all the wards in the city. We welcome Cllr Kombayi and Cllr Sithole to this house.This means all the wards now have representation and that is expected to improve on service delivery. We fully welcome the participation of the two councillors in debate that will lead to an improved service delivery in the town,” he said. Cllr Kombayi in an interview after the full council meeting said he was going to work with Cllr Chikozho for the development of the city. He said it did not matter whether or not he was the mayor.

“The issue of the mayoral post is not an issue anymore to us. We are going to work as a team of 18 councillors for the development of our city. Being a mayor or not does not stop me from adding value to this town,” said Cllr Kombayi.