adminCletus Mushanawani in Mutare
THE appointment of Mutare City Council housing director, Mr Stennard Mapurisa as the acting Town Clerk has raised a stink, with Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs, Cde Mandi Chimene and residents expressing strong reservations against the move.
Mr Mapurisa was appointed the acting Town Clerk by the city fathers on Wednesday following Tuesday’s resignation of Mr Obert Muzawazi as the Town Clerk.
Residents’ representatives gathered at the Manicaland Provincial Administrator’s board room at the Government Complex today and asked for a meeting with Cde Chimene to express their disgruntlement over Mr Mapurisa’s appointment.
“We were all taken aback by the developments at the council. We welcomed the findings of the audit report which unearthed the rot at the local authority. As we were still digesting and debating on the findings of the audit report, we heard that Mr Muzawazi had resigned.
“Before the ink of his resignation letter had dried up, we were told that the councillors had passed a resolution to appoint Mr Mapurisa as the acting Town Clerk. Are we not allowing those implicated in the audit report to go scot-free without answering for their alleged sins. Please, Cde Minister, help us because this is a serious issue,” said a Mr Chimwai.
Addressing a Press Conference later, Cde Chimene, said Mr Mapurisa was not the ideal candidate for the office because he had dirty hands and was also fingered as a beneficiary of the rot at the council in the audit report.
“Mr Mapurisa was in the courts recently facing fraud charges involving double allocation of a single stands to two residents and now he is being rewarded with a higher post. This is unacceptable and I think as an individual, Mr Mapurisa should have been gentleman enough to turn down the offer. His hands are dirty and we strongly object the appointment.
“I now have a strong feeling that there is a big syndicate at the council that is working hard to destroy all incriminating evidence against all those implicated in the audit findings. I personally feel that Mr Mapurisa is Mr Muzawazi’s decoy because someone from behind the scenes will be pulling the strings,” said Cde Chimene.
She also did not have any kind words for the mayor, accusing him of winning and dinning with those implicated in the audit report.
“I had a chat with the mayor this morning over the issue of the appointment of the acting Town Clerk and said they resorted for Mr Mapurisa after failing to find a suitable candidate among the senior managers for the post. This alone raises a lot of eyebrows because the mayor appears to be in bed with the management, which we are saying should go.
“All these years since his appointment into office, the mayor never raised a red flag against his management. His silence means he was happy with the state of affairs at the council. The speed in which he moved to announce the appointment of Mr Mapurisa is also a cause for concern, surely something is amiss somewhere,” said Cde Chimene.
When approached for comment, Clr Nhamarare said in appointing Mr Mapurisa they were being guided by the provisions of the Urban Councils’ Act.
“We never went astray because the Urban Councils’ Act states that in the event of resignation of a Town Clerk, an acting one will be appointed. All the councillors regardless of their political affiliation unanimously resolved that an acting Town Clerk should be appointed and all agreed that the right candidate was Mr Mapurisa,” he said.
On allegations that he was also part of the rot at the local authority, Clr Nhamarare, said: “I don’t think that is true. Challenged facing Mutare City Council are well documented and we have been trying our level best all these years to address them. Yes, the Minister can say whatever she is saying, but we stand guided by the provisions of the Urban Councils Act.”
Online Reporter