The Tsvangirai MDC controls the council after winning a majority of 23 out of the 29 seats contested in March. But after they were sworn into office last month, Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo barred them from convening or carrying out any council duties.The MDC went to the High court to have this ban overturned and on Thursday the court ruled in their favour and granted them permission to resume their civic duties.
Reggie Moyo, the MDC secretary for Bulawayo province, said that immediately after the judgement a full council meeting was convened to elect the new mayor and deputy for the city.Moyo said Thaba Patrick Moyo the MDC ward 22 councillor in the city, was expected to be confirmed as the new mayor after he was overwhelmingly nominated for the top post. His deputy was expected to be Amen Mpofu, ward 2 councillor in the city.
They are meeting in the chamber as a matter of procedure but the new mayor is going to be Moyo and his deputy Mpofu. We are very happy with High Court judgement, so now we should be able to start normal council business,’ Moyo said.The lack of a functioning council was beginning to have a very serious negative impact on the day-to-day lives of the people in the sprawling city of Bulawayo, the second largest city in the country.
Our immediate task as a council is to look at the city’s infrastructure which has virtually collapsed. We need to urgently deal with the water shortages, the poor roads, the housing shortages and service delivery in general,’ Moyo added.Apart from Harare and Bulawayo, the MDC also won control of Mutare, Masvingo Chitungwiza, Kwekwe and Chinhoyi.
SW Radio Africa
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