Suspended Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume Challenges 4th Suspension
Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume has approached the High Court challenging his fourth suspension.
Mafume who is a member of the opposition MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa is seeking to have his suspension set aside and declared null and void.
He argues that the decision by Local Government Minister July Moyo is irrational and illogical.
Mafume was suspended late last year and that was the fourth time that Moyo suspended the law expert without convening a disciplinary hearing.
Mafume was suspended when he had just returned to work after the expiry of his third suspension.
The MDC Alliance secretary for local government stands accused of criminal abuse of office.
In the latest suspension dated 17 December 2021, Moyo accused Mafume of committing gross misconduct and willful violation of the law. Wrote Moyo:
I have reasonable grounds for suspecting that you councillor Jacob Mafume has committed acts of gross misconduct, gross incompetence and willful violation of the law as referenced in subsection (1)(b)(c) and (e) and hereby suspend you with immediate effect.
Mafume described the latest suspension as childish adding that the Minister’s actions were affecting public service delivery. He added:
The Act allows the loser of the last election to supervise the winner, in this case, we beat ZANU PF in council elections but because they stole the presidential elections they are now supervising us using the Urban Councils Act.
This is so childish they are throwing toys and the baby out of the pram.
A few days before his latest suspension, Mafume wrote to the mayor, Stewart Mutizwa (MDC-T) and the town clerk Phakamile Moyo, accusing them of failing to respect the law on his return to the office.
