Mixed views on executive mayor status

amid conflicting statements between the Costitutional Parliamentary Select Committee and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development.

Copac co-chairpersons Cde Paul Mangwana and Mr Douglas Mwonzora expressed slightly varying views on the provisions of the draft constitution with regards to the post of executive mayor.

Cde Mangwana said only Harare and Bulawayo will have outright executive mayors.
The two would be directly elected by the people.

He said the draft constitution was silent on other cities and towns.
“The mayors of Harare and Bulawayo will be executive. 
“They will chair provincial councils,” he said.

Cde Mangwana said it was highly “likely” that other towns and cities would have executive mayors.
Mr Mwonzora said the issue of executive mayors depended on what the legislature would say when drafting the relevant act for local authorities.

“In the draft constitution we provided for an enabling clause for executive mayors. A lot depends on the legislature.
“Executive mayors are provided for but it is not automatic,” he said.

He said the MDC-T was advocating executive mayors.
But Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo said an Act of Parliament would have to be drawn to determine whether Zimbabwe would have executive or ceremonial mayors.

“Ninety-nine percent chances it would be a ceremonial mayor,” he said.
The  draft constitution suggests that “an Act of Parliament may confer executive powers on the mayor or chairperson of an urban local authority, but any mayor or chairperson on whom such powers are conferred must be elected directly by registered voters in the area for which the local authority has been established.”

Minister Chombo said the ministry would soon put a position paper on the matter.
He said he would also suggest that all councillors should have “some qualification to enhance the level of leadership”.

“We need to protect levy paying public from somebody with ignorance,” Minister Chombosaid.
Currently no qualification was needed for one to be a councillor.

The post of executive mayor was abolished some years ago.
The issue created conflict between town clerks and the mayors amid allegations of abuse of office.