Bid to oust Kwekwe top brass foiled
KWEKWE councillors aligned to MDC-Alliance are reportedly holding kangaroo meetings plotting to suspend Town Clerk Dr Lucia Mnkandla and the local authority’s directors on allegations of incompetence.
The Herald is reliably informed that the plan was mooted last week when the councillors hijacked a management meeting and tried to impose the issue on the agenda.
The directors allegedly boycotted the meeting resulting in its postponement to Monday.
Sources alleged that Deputy Mayor Councillor Shadreck Tobaiwa was pushing the agenda. Ironically, the council has no jurisdiction over the hiring and firing of council employees other than the town clerk.
Sources alleged that emotions that had been simmering for a while came to the boil after management allegedly backed the councillors into a corner demanding that they substantiate their claims.
The councillors were baying for the acting town clerk’s blood and that of housing director Mr Edson Chiyangwa, works director Mr John Mhike and finance director Ms Rejoice Maweni.
The source said following a heated argument, councillors succumbed to pressure and ended up issuing a verbal warning to the management to toe the line or risk reprisals.
“The councillors are accusing Dr Mnkandla of having links to Zanu-PF. The management suspect that it could be political victimisation. It is suspected the move might be politically motivated,” the source.
Contacted for comment, Dr Mnkandla confirmed that indeed a meeting was held at the Civic Centre but refused to shed more light on what transpired.
“Indeed, we held a meeting on Monday. The meeting was previously scheduled for Friday but we could not have it due to reasons beyond our control. I, however, am not the right person to comment about the issue. I urge you contact the people who are alleged to be behind the move,” said Dr Mnkandla.
Deputy Mayor Tobaiwa also confirmed the closed door meeting but denied that they were pushing for the ouster of some members of the management team.