By Tichaona Sibanda
The MDC-T’s urgent court application with the Electoral Court, seeking to stop outgoing Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo from interfering in the election of mayors, will continue Thursday.
MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora told SW Radio Africa that there are attempts by ZANU PF to make sure all the mayoral posts go to their own people, going against what the law dictates.
‘The urban councils Act, under the Local government laws, is clear that a Mayor can be chosen from councillors or other people. This law gives qualification to anyone outside council to be elected Mayor of any town or city,’ Mwonzora said.
The MDC-T has already recommended non-elected members Obert Gutu and Mandla Nyathi as its preferred candidates for Harare and Bulawayo.
However Local Government secretary Killian Mupingo last month sent out a circular to all local authorities telling Provincial Administrators that only elected councillors were eligible to contest the mayoral post.
Part of the letter dated August 21st reads: “It is underscored that in terms of Section 274 (2) as read with section 265 (2) and section 275 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (no.20) Act 2013, mayors and chairpersons shall be elected from amongst elected councillors only.”
There are reports that newly elected councillors from the MDC-T have threatened to defy party orders to vote for those nominated by the leadership. Mwonzora said that will not happen because anyone going against party rules will be recalled from council.
‘The party has made its position clear on mayoral candidates and their deputies, so anyone elected as Mayor outside our pool of candidates will have to explain themselves, because it is the same indiscipline that cost us the election,’ Mwonzora added. SW Radio Africa
