By Lloyd Takawira
Newly elected Harare mayor Jacob Mafume has said covert operations by the MDC T to have him removed from his post will fail by operations of the law.
Mafume was elected Harare mayor last week trouncing MDC T candidate Luckson Mukunguma by 19 votes following the recall of former Mayor Herbert Gomba.
This comes after MDC T secretary general, Douglas Mwonzora said they are seeking to have Mafume’s election redressed.
Mwonzora earlier said that the illegality of Mafume being the Harare Mayor is one of the multi-pronged approach his party is going
to use to get a redress.”
However, speaking to a local radio station Mafume dismissed this arguing the MDC T was not interpreting the law correctly.
“The law says a mayor will be voted for at a special council meeting and that the candidate is voted by councilors. It is a secret ballot. The councilors that are in council are not known by political affiliation. A ZANU PF councilor could easily have become mayor. An independent councilor could (also) easily have become mayor. A mayor is voted for by councilors, period.
“
“A mayor is not brought into existence by any agreement. That is why a political party or person can easily and simply nominate anybody.
A mayor comes into existence by virtue of the provisions of the Local Government Act and not by any (other) agreement that you might have with somebody for any undue influence. A secret ballot is exactly
that; a secret ballot. It is not supposed to be influenced by anything (else); money, agreements or whatever process that is outside the conduct of that secret ballot,” he said.
However MDC T’s Morgen Komichi dismissed reports that the MDC T will recall MDC Alliance councilors arguing that as a party they do not want the council to be run by a commission appointed by the government.
Mafume a former PDP spokesperson led by Tendai Biti, won the Mt Pleasant councilor post under MDC Alliance. At one time, he was MDC Alliance spokesperson and national standing committee member.
