Harare Mayor exposed

Takunda Maodza Assistant News Editor
HARARE mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni wrote to town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi reversing his suspension and inviting him to report for duty. Since Dr Mahachi’s reinstatement by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo last week, Mayor Manyenyeni has been saying he did not know why the town clerk was coming to work.

On Tuesday, the mayor wrote to Dr Chombo saying: “I have written to Dr TJ Mahachi that in terms of your directive of 1st February 2014 I am requesting him to report for duty on 5th February 2014. I will be further making my respectful submissions on the matter to you within the next few days.”

Mayor Manyenyeni suspended Dr Mahachi on Thursday last week for three months for failing to provide the salary schedule of all senior council employees.

Council — on December 17, 2013 — ordered Dr Mahachi to provide the salary schedule but he failed to comply with the directive, resulting in the suspension in terms of Section 139 of the Urban Councils Act to pave way for investigations into the city’s affairs and finances.

Dr Chombo overturned the suspension on Saturday.

Since then Mayor Manyenyeni has publicly denounced the reinstatement. The mayor told The Herald: “I am the one who suspended him (Dr Mahachi) and I am the one who will reinstate him and that I have not done yet.

“I have written to him informing him that the suspension still stands. I only heard that he was at work today and I do not know what he was doing or if he is still there as I speak.”