Councillor walks out on mayor

he openly accused Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda of abusing council chambers to promote personal and MDC-T interests.
Clr Nyachowe stood up to the mayor challenging his conduct. Mr Masunda had spent close to an hour giving notices, reading letters and making announcements of his impending trips abroad. He had also told the meeting that he had received a delegation from MDC-T at Town House and implored council to work closely with the party’s new Harare executive.

The mayor then described MDC-T as the biggest political party in Zimbabwe.
Clr Nyachowe then stood up to challenge Mr Masunda accusing him of championing personal and MDC-T political agendas. But the elected councillors would have none of Clr Nyachowe’s arguments and asked him to retract his statement or leave the meeting altogether.
Clr Nyachowe then opted to walk out.

After he had left Mr Masunda lambasted Clr Nyachowe for not attending full council meetings and singled out only four out of the 11 appointed councillors as hardworking and making positive contributions to the city. The four are Clr Sasha Jogi, Clr Thembinkosi Magwaliba, Clr Hiernymo Torongo and Clr Lisbon Marufu.

He said Harare had actually been very magnanimous by accepting to work with appointed councillors.
In an interview later, Clr Nyachowe said he would not withdraw his statements because he felt Mr Masunda “was abusing council chambers”.

“I still stand by my statement. Masunda has no right to further his political ambitions in council chambers. He is fouling the August House.
“To me Masunda was playing to the gallery. He wants to lampoon everyone and make it appear he is the only knowledgeable person,” he said.

Clr Nyachowe said Mr Masunda had literally turned the council chambers into a campaign rally adding that he would not withdraw a statement made in response to a rally address.
He also complained over the manner Mr Masunda addresses councillors, likening it to a headmaster mentality.

“Mr Masunda should be taught on how to address adults. He addresses us like he is a high school teacher talking to his students. He should realise that some of us are self-made business people unlike him who gets invited to run other people’s businesses,” he said.

But Mr Masunda said Clr Nyachowe took offence at being reminded that he should attend all council meetings.
“He took offence that I reminded him of his absence for quite a while. If someone is appointed the assumption is that he should make a worthy contribution. I take a dim view of people who do not come to meetings. Others come here to make numbers,” he said.