For the better part of this year, Gokwe, which won town status in 2006, has been operating without two of its top officials- a council chairperson and town secretary.
A chairperson is elected by fellow councillors after general elections, while a town secretary gets into office through professional channels of employment. MDC-T council chairperson, Darlington Mudondo, was suspended by Chombo on June 27. Secretary, Tapiwa Marongwe, was suspended by the minister in February. They were accused of corruption.
Until now, Mudondo has not been called for a hearing. According to the law governing local authorities, any official suspended should be brought before a hearing in 45 days and given a platform to outline their defence.
This has prompted his lawyers to approach the High Court demanding reinstatement of the town chairperson. Their application, which is under court registration, is yet to be ruled on.
In a snap survey carried by The Zimbabwean, it emerged that operations at town house have been paralysed by the vacancies. Council officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said numerous projects initiated by Marongwe were on standstill.
“Gokwe has perennial water problems and poor drainage facilities. Marongwe had started sourcing funds to rectify this from banks and that was at an advanced stage,” said one official. “However, since the confusion brought by Chombo by suspending him and the failure to wrap up the matter, the projects have been stalled.”
Other officials said there was a political hand in the suspensions of Marongwe and Mudondo.
“Mudondo is MDC-T and you know that Zanu (PF) lost all the council seats to that party in 2008. Chombo is simply punishing not only the two but the people of Gokwe who voted ‘wrongly’.”
Post published in: News