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Dr Mahachi

Municipal Reporter
Harare City Council town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi returned to work yesterday after his lawyers wrote to council demanding that he returns to work with immediate effect.

Last week, mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni sent Dr Mahachi on indefinite forced leave for reportedly stalling the city’s succession plan and rationalisation of executive salaries.

However, sources at Town House said Dr Mahachi’s lawyers wrote to council arguing that if the town clerk had acted contrary to his duties the mayor should have charged him for misconduct rather than sending him on forced leave without a council resolution.

The lawyers argued that it was not procedural hence their client should return to work.

Clr Manyenyeni confirmed that Dr Mahachi’s lawyers had written to council and he is set to respond to them today.

“I can confirm that we received a letter from Dr Mahachi’s lawyers. I have since communicated to them to the effect that I will respond to their letter tomorrow (today),” he said.

Asked about the presence of Dr Mahachi at Town House, the mayor said he had heard that Dr Mahachi was in his office but said he was not going to play a cat and mouse with him.

“This is a professional matter. It must not look like anything personal. I am going to communicate with him through his lawyers,” he said.

Council sources said yesterday morning Dr Mahachi was attending to council business at Harare House in the morning before coming to Town House for other business in the afternoon.

In sending Dr Mahachi on forced leave last Tuesday Cllr Manyenyeni said, “I never make any decisions personal that is not how I operate, I have a professional relationship with the town clerk until our paths go separate ways, we are ceased with certain matters at council some of which are being handled jointly or concurrently with the ministry (Local Government, Public Works and National Housing) local Government board. Some of these matters have gone for far too long by the 30th of June this is the date we had hoped to complete the succession plan.

“Those matters can best progress in the absence of the town clerk unlike the previous matter which was suspension I am asking him to go on forced leave so that we dispense of those matters,” he said.

Dr Mahachi said he was shocked by the decision which he said had no legal basis.