Herald Reporter
CHIKOMBA Rural District coun­cillors want their chief executive offi­cer, Mr Livingstone Mutara, dismissed for los­ing a case against a former offi­cial at the Supreme Court. The cash-strapped local authority is now set to pay more than US$300 000 in severance packages after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of for­mer CEO Mr Hebert Pasipanodya.
But the council has been divided on political lines with those affiliated to MDC-T calling for the ouster of Mr Mutara, while those from Zanu-PF want him to stay.
Those from the MDC-T accuse Mr Mutara of unilaterally appealing against a High Court decision order­ing the reinstatement of Mr Pasipan­odya.
The Supreme Court nullified the expulsion of Mr Pasipanodya who was fired more than six years ago, but the ruling came at a time when the local authority had employed Mr Mutara as a replacement.
Human Resources Committee mem­ber, Councillor Arnold Reza said Mr Mutara should face disciplinary action for failing to advise council that they had lost the initial battle to expel Mr Pasipanodya before he proceeded to make an appeal.
“We feel as councillors that Mr Mutara’s decision to appeal against that order to reinstate Pasipanodya was meant to protect his job, there was no council resolution authorising him to make that appeal,” said Clr Reza.