Masvingo mayor elected

via Masvingo mayor elected | The Zimbabwean by Regerai Tukutuku 16.09.13

The MDC-T bowed down to pressure from Local government Rural and urban development minister Ignatius Chombo and elected ward six councillor Hubert Fidze as the mayor of Masvingo.

The party had threatened to defy Chombo’s directive and had vowed to choose a mayor outside the elected councillors.

However in elections held at the civic centre today (this evening) the party opted for Fidze who initially had been earmarked to deputise David Charirwe who was the party’s first choice.

Charirwe would have seen himself at the helm of the local authority had Chombo not insisted that the mayor be chosen from among elected councillors.

Charirwe former Masvingo MDC-T party;s Masvingo urban district chairman had been chosen by the party ahead of outgoing mayor Femias Chakabuda and the party’s provincial chairman Wilstaff Sitemere who both were eying the mayoral posts.

Fidze a manager with a local company polled 6 votes against 4 polled by Zanu PF ‘s prefered candidate Lovemore Mufamba.

MDC-T’s ward three councillor Jameson Chiwara was elected deputy mayor . Chiwara beat Zanu PF’s Garcia Mundondo with the same margin.

James Mazvidza the chairman of the Chombo elected commission which had been running the affairs of Masvingo city in the absence of councillors presided over the polls.

Soon after Fidze’s election as mayor hordes of MDC-T supporters who had thronged the civic centre burst into songs. Mazvidza described the mayoral election as free fair and credible.