By Xolisani Ncube
HARARE – Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo has fired two Harare Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) councillors who were investigating him for alleged fraudulent acquisition of prime land in Harare City.
Elected councillors Warship Dumba and Casper Takura were fired on Monday, with Chombo accusing them of dishonesty, fraud and mismanagement of council funds by a probe team appointed by the minister.
Dumba and Takura have vowed to fight for their ‘democratic’ right in the courts, saying the minister’s action was meant to silence them after they exposed him in the land scam.
Dumba said the minister was trying to ensure that they do not further expose his illegal land grabs across the country. He said they reported the filthy rich minister to the police for amassing more than 100 stand and properties in most urban areas of the country.
“We knew that he was going to fire us and we have been waiting for this opportunity to approach the courts of law,” Dumba said.
“It is just disappointing to note that we have been fired by a criminal, this is like calling Satan to investigate Christians. We will seek the intervention of the High Court to ensure that our rights and the will of residents are respected,” he said.
Chombo has been fighting with MDC councillors throughout the country and the expulsion of the two, comes at a time when Bindura Mayor Tinashe Madamombe is fighting charges of corruption unearthed by another probe team appointed by the minister.
The Harare investigating team was chaired by one Andrew Makoni whom Dumba described as a Zanu PF apologist. “Makoni is actually a member of Zanu PF and holds an influential position in Manicaland province,” Dumba said.
“If justice is to prevail, the probe team must also be investigated because there is high suspicion that they could actually be beneficiaries of the illegal land acquired by Chombo.” Daily News