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Harare Bureau
GOVERNMENT has appointed caretakers and commissions to run the country’s 91 local authorities with effect from tomorrow following the automatic dissolution of all councils at midnight today. In the case of Harare and Bulawayo metropolitan provinces, town clerks and the respective provincial administrators have been appointed the caretakers, while in other urban councils’ respective district administrators and town clerks or local board secretaries would be in charge. For rural district councils, district administrators and chief executive officers would be the commissioners.
Local Government, Rural and Urban Development permanent secretary Mr Killian Mpingo has since made the announcement through a circular to provincial administrators.
A copy of the letter was read without objection on Thursday during Harare City Council’s last full council meeting before the forthcoming harmonised elections on July 31.
“Please, note that in terms of section 58(1) of the existing Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe; all councils shall be dissolved by the affliction of time, on 29 June, 2013,” said Mr Mpingo.
“Pending election of new councillors, it is imperative that necessary administrative arrangements be put in place for the purpose of ensuring that operations of councils do not grind to a halt.”
Mr Mpingo said the appointments would take effect tomorrow until the swearing in of new councillors.
The caretakers and commissions would not be allowed to impose new levies, rates or taxes, nor increase any charge fixed by council nor recruit new staff or effect staff promotions.
Mr Mpingo charged the caretakers and commissions to draw synchronised weekly interactional programmes that would allow them to update one another on key developments as well as to address issues as they arise.
He said provincial and district administrators would in the interim “sign such documents as would ordinarily be signed by mayors and council chairpersons on behalf of their respective councils”.
The outgoing Harare City councillors held their last full council meeting on Thursday with no debate on all matters as the meeting was held in a very short time.
Clr Panganayi Charumbira thanked Mayor Mr Muchadeyi Masunda for leading the council, but accused him of employing councillors to spy on each other.
“You had your own shortcomings,” he said. “You employed your blue-eyed boys, which is natural.”
Clr Peter Moyo and Clr Charumbira said had it not been for the leadership of Mr Masunda the council would have been fired because of immaturity and lack of experience.
Said Clr Moyo: “Thank you for your leadership. We did not know leadership, you taught us a lot”.
He said donors fell on each other to support the city because they had confidence in Mr Masunda.
Online Reporter