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Mr Mushore

Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
Harare City Council employed a town clerk who already qualifies for early retirement and is two years away from the city’s mandatory retirement age.

The city appointed former NMB chief executive Mr James Mushore (58) to be Harare’s new town clerk recently, but Government rescinded the appointment soon after the announcement, accusing the city of flouting procedures as laid down in the Urban Councils Act.

Council has a 55-year early retirement and 60 years mandatory retirement policy and it is not clear whether Mr Mushore would be able to turnaround the city’s fortunes in his short stint.

Mr Mushore retired from NMB in 2014 due to ill health, the company announced.

The city last year retired 1 330 employees who were in council service and had reached 60 years.

The High Court recently upheld Harare City Council’s decision to retire the employees after they approached the court for recourse.

Yesterday, Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni defended the position saying former town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi left council when he was 65 although Dr Mahachi says he was 59.

“He is 58. Dr Mahachi left at 65. The new town clerk can do two three-year contracts and still be younger than 65. We would gladly have him retire at 61 or any date up to 65 depending on performance,” he said. Meanwhile, Clr Manyenyeni refuted claims that Mr Mushore signed his contract before a full council resolution.

“On March 25 at 10:47am I sent a text message to human resources chairman (Clr Wellington Chikombo) confirming that the new town clerk had signed his offer letter after full council meeting meaning on the 24th. I can show you the text — it cannot be rigged. It is a sent text and you are still preaching that he signed before full council,” he said.

He said Mr Mushore was the business leader the city needs and council was not looking for experts in housing, roads, urban planning or waste management.

In terms of Section 132 (1) of the Urban Councils Act council was supposed to only appoint a town clerk after they had received an approved candidate from the Local Government Board.

However, council was of the view that it was empowered to appoint a town clerk although acting town clerk Dr Prosper Chonzi, had advised that if the city appoints a person without first recommending three best candidates in order of their rating to the Local Government Board, it would be ultra vires the Urban Councils Act.