Online Reporter
Paul Pindani in CHINHOYI
A BID by some Councillors to try and elect a Deputy Mayor in Chinhoyi left some Councillors embarrassed after Mayor Owen Charuza rejected their proposal.
He revealed there was a pending legal case that had to be settled first before the election could be held.The Council has been without a Deputy Mayor since Cllr Chipo Mhlotswa, who was the Deputy Mayor, was convicted of fraud.
Mhlotswa appealed to the High Court and, at first, her appeal was dismissed.
However, her appeal was later reinstated by the High Court.A pre-trial has now been set for November 3 at the Chinhoyi High Court.
The Councillors were adamant that elections for a new Deputy Mayor should be held.However, Mayor Charuza shot down their argument insisting that the local authority was going to follow due legal process.
“We cannot have the elections as there is a pending court case,” said Charuza.”Some Councillors had positioned themselves for the post nicodemously and they were having some caucus meetings and canvassing for support.
“It’s something that we cannot hide and cannot stop them from actually airing out their ambitions.
“Council will be guided by the legal process.”
A Councillor, who did not want to be named, said:
“What the Mayor did was not a fitting move in our eyes. He has some interests in the election of the Deputy Mayor,” said the Councillor.
Another Councillor said:
“The matter is still before the courts of law and elections of a Deputy Mayor is a non-event.”
