Andrew
Tanatswa Makota
OUTGOING junior mayor Jabulani Charamba has urged the new junior council to go all out in performing its duties.
He spoke last Monday as the Harare City Council hosted the inauguration ceremony for the 2022-2023 junior council.
“I urge you to follow in our footsteps, showing great resilience and dedication in solving the matters that trouble our fellow youth,” he said.
The Harare City Junior Council (HCJC) is a body of A-Level learners from various high schools in Harare, which resembles the senior council.
Its main duty is to represent fellow young people on the Local Government platform.
The event commenced on a high note, as parents of the councillors witnessed their children’s workplace for the first time.
After an opening prayer, the outgoing junior council executive committee conducted the proceedings, with junior town clerk Bilgah Machote leading the procession.
Afterwards, she read out the inauguration proclamations, as the prospective councillors took on their new titles of honourable junior councillors.
This was followed by the announcement of the new executive committee, which comprises the mayor and his deputy, town clerk, projects coordinator, public relations officer, treasurer and chief of committees clerk.
Junior councillor Atupele Phiri was elected the 2022-2023 junior mayor, and Jnr Cllr Fadzai Chipomho the deputy.
Munashe Jumbe is the public relations officer, while Devorgille Chikukwa will assume the projects co-ordinator post. Ariel Chiza was elected chief of committees clerk in absentia, as she was attending an international debate tournament.
As soon as the HCJC was inaugurated, officials from the senior council conveyed their congratulatory messages to the new team.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume promised to continue supporting the junior council in all its projects and endeavours.
“Harare City Council should also have an official budget for the junior council.
“These funds will help fund the junior council’s projects, like the borehole they drilled in Hopley a few years back,” he said.
Cllr Mafume encouraged the councillors to be role models to their peers in school and various walks of life.
In his vote of thanks, Jnr Alderman Kudakwashe Marime called on the incoming council to do its best in lifting HCJC higher.
The event showed how Government and local authorities have been incorporating youths on decision-making platforms like the HCJC, which is in its 69th successive year running.
Tanatswa Makota is the president of the Queen Elizabeth High School media club. She is also the public relations committee secretary for the Harare City Junior Council
Tinaye Agere
Online Reporter