… As Zanu PF takes over council chairmanship
Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI-There was drama last week at Chiredzi Town Council Boardroom where the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) councilors chased all stakeholders from a special full council meeting to elect a new town chairperson only to boycott the same meeting.
The chairperson’s post fell vacant after self-anointed CCC Secretary General Sengezo Tshabangu’s recalls axe struck council chair Roger Chikonye and another councilor Musingashari Musingashari.
The remaining three CCC councilors Danford Chikanyanu, Philemon Muchaendepi and Gift Chigidi arrived late for the meeting and influenced the ejection of other stakeholders including journalists who wanted to cover the election but they later on boycotted the same meeting.
Muchaendepi argued that a special full council meeting was supposed to be attended by councilors and management.
“Chair, what does the law say on special full council meetings? We are not here to give amendments to that law but to apply it. A special full council meeting is only attended by councilors and council management, meaning all those who do not fall in that category should recuse us,” said Muchaendepi.
The meeting which was chaired by Jameson Charumbira in his capacity as vice chair, came barely five days after the recall of the two councilors.
TellZim News was reliably informed that the three councilors later on boycotted the election seeing they were outnumbered by Zanu PF with five councilors and they also argued that the management had no capacity to convene a special full council meeting but the chair if councilors raised motions that needed urgent attendance in form of writing.
However, Zanu PF’s Charumbira who was vice chair was elected council chair while Liberty Macharaga was nominated vice, and since there was no opposition, the two who had once clashed for the same post before were nominated and seconded by their fellow Zanu PF councilors, Vimbai Ushe, Sekai Njanjure and Charles Njopera.
Tshabangu’s recalls came as a relief for Zanu PF in Chiredzi Town Council to retain the Chairmanship post which was lost in 2018 after one Zanu PF councilor had sold out by voting for Gibson Hwende (MDC Alliance) as Chairperson from 2018-2023 while Roger Chikonye (CCC) was elected as Chairperson through tossing after the 2023 harmonized elections after a five all stalemate since the two parties had equal number of candidates.
