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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
THE only Zanu-PF councillor in Bulawayo, Cde Kidwell Mujuru has alleged his MDC Alliance counterparts were victimising him on political grounds after they removed him from the city’s business and investment committee.
Cde Mujuru has since written a letter of complaint to Bulawayo Mayor Cllr Solomon Mguni.
In the letter dated October 7, Cde Mujuru alleges that a clique of councillors does not want him to serve Bulawayo although a council resolution endorsed his selection to the committee.
“I’m aware that a group of councillors from your party (MDC Alliance) do not want me to serve the people of Bulawayo in the Business Committee just because I am from Zanu-PF party. The same members moved and seconded each other to remove me from the Business and Committee by purporting to ‘correct the minutes’ of the meeting of the 4th of September 2019.
“Your worship the so-called correction of minutes has the effect of rescission or alteration of a council resolution without following the ground rules set out in Section 89 (1) of the Urban Councils Act,” reads Cllr Mujuru’s letter.
He said the rescission or alteration process was null and void as it did not follow council procedures.
Cllr Mujuru said he did not recognise the councillors’ decision to remove him from the committee.
“Your worship, I am aware that you are a trained professional lawyer with a reputation to protect. May I draw your attention to Section 278 (2) (e) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states that willful violation of the law, including a local authority by-law is a ground of removal of councillors from office. It is clear that your council violated the law in your absence. I therefore, request that you put the council back to legality by urgently remedying this defect. I thought I must also advise you that since the whole process is null and void, I will continue to attend and serve in the committee,” said Cllr Mujuru.
Contacted for comment, Cllr Mguni confirmed receiving the letter of complaint.
He said councillors convened a meeting to remove Cllr Mujuru in his absence but the matter is receiving urgent attention from council.
“Cllr Mujuru served me with the letter where he registers his complaint about the manner the meeting was conducted where he alleges unfair treatment by councillors. The matter is receiving urgent attention. I have requested the Chamber Secretary to give me an opinion on the matter because it appears the complaint is of a legal nature. I cannot tell whether there is any political malice behind the matter,” said Cllr Mguni.
He said council will have to investigate alleged victimisation of Cllr Mujuru.
“We don’t discriminate each other on the basis of political orientation in council. We are all Bulawayo councillors for as long as we are in the chambers. It’s a matter which we will have to investigate. We want to build Bulawayo in peace and harmony, but of course guided by the aspirations of the people of Bulawayo,” he said. — @nqotshili.
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