Bulawayo Rejects Chombo's Imposed Councillors

Last week Chombo announced that in the next few weeks his ministry will complete the appointment of special interest councillors in Bulawayo, Harare and other urban councils in a bid to provide expertise and improve service delivery.

According to the Urban Councils Act, the appointed councillors are entitled to participate in the business of the council and perform the same functions as elected councillors. They are also entitled to the same benefits but do not vote at council meetings.

Chombo claims his ministry was mandated to appoint the councillors as a means of providing expertise to the city councillors especially when considering that a majority of them were new to council affairs thereby lacking experience.

However speaking to Radio VOP on Monday, Thaba-Moyo said Bulawayo City council is not going to allow Chombo to go-ahead with appointment of the special interest councillors.

“Our position remain the same since 2008 .We are not going to allow that. How can he talk about appointing special interest groups who bring nothing to the city?” said Thaba-Moyo.

In 2008 Bulawayo City council went to the High Court to block Chombo from appointing special interest councillors and won the case.

The Bulawayo City council is dominated by the mainstream MDC which has 23 councillors. Six are from the small breakaway Mutambara faction.

“We would rather prefer to work closely with our donors who bring funds to improve service delivery than to work with these unelected special interest councillors who will disturb our business,” he said.

The eight special interest councilors who were blocked by the High Court in 2008 after appointment by the Local Government Minister are Tadubana Tshuma, Omega Sibanda, Emmanuel Kanjoma, David Ndlovu, Abednigo Nyathi, Tryphine Nhliziyo, Dennis Ndlovu and Ernest Marima who both Zanu PF provincial officials.