Mayor evicts deputy from office — sources

office they were sharing amid reports of a feud.
The two city fathers last night dismissed the reports, but sources said they do not see eye-to-eye because of a push by MDC-T councillors to abolish the post of a ceremonial mayor.
MDC-T is pushing amendments to the Local Government Act to abolish ceremonial mayorship.
Sources say the push has caused a rift that has sucked in top MDC-T officials.
Observers have also linked the latest developments to efforts within MDC-T to kick out Marondera mayor Mr Farai Nyandoro for allegedly dining with Zanu-PF officials in Mashonaland East.
“Mayor Masunda is not happy with efforts by his colleagues to push for his ouster through the amendments and the latest developments are a culmination of the differences within the party,” a source said.
Mayor Masunda is said to have personally delivered the message to Clr Chiroto and advised management of his moves.
“This is a matter between some senior members who are calling on for the ouster of Mayor Masunda who was invited to lead a council full of elected councillors,” he said.
Mr Masunda said Clr Chiroto had been allocated a new office, but the latter said he was given a new secretary and had to move to a new office.
Said Mr Chiroto: “We were sharing the same secretary and I have since been given my own, so I am moving to a new office.
“There is nothing wrong with our working relationship. I am not interested in any position that does not have mandate from the people since I was elected into office by the supporters and they are the people who can determine whether I take up another position in council or anywhere else,” he said.
Mayor Masunda said: “I agreed to share the office since he spends more time at Town House than me and it made sense that we share the services.”
He acknowledged efforts by MDC-T to introduce a raft of changes to the Act governing the local authorities through the Private Members Bill.
“The MDC-T has its own amendments that they would want into the law so we will see what happens.
“I was appointed into office through an amendment that allowed council to either choose a mayor among the democratically-elected councillors or look for someone from outside.
“I am non-partisan but I was chosen to offer leadership to the young councillors so that we can strengthen systems in Harare.
“I am not into party politics, but would want to make sure that the city, and henceforth the country, works,” he said.
Mayor Masunda acknowledged that his deputy would have been the mayor if he was not asked to lead council.
He however, said he would rather have councils remain with non-executive mayors.
“My view is that the arrangement of non-executive mayors would work to keep the costs of running council down,” he said.