New mayor for Harare

via New mayors for Harare and Bulawayo | The Zimbabwean  by Adrian Mutigwe 16.09.13

MDC-T has chosen Benard Manyenyeni as Mayor of Harare. Manyenyeni was in July elected Councillor for Mt Pleasant’s Ward 17, replacing Warship Dumba who was also eyeing the mayoral post.

Manyenyeni polled 38 votes against Zanu (PF) candidate Bidol Gwasira’s seven.

Thomas Muzuva was officially elected Deputy Mayor, beating Zanu (PF)’s Samuel Garachani by the same margin.

MDC-T had earlier preferred Obert Gutu who is not a councillor to become mayor, but seems to have backed down from its insistence to chose the person from non-elected individuals., Party spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora, said Manyenyeni had been the party’s preferred second choice behind Gutu.

“Manyenyeni has been our second choice because we were aware that Zanu (PF) would throw spanners in our quest to provide Harare with a mayor (from unelected individuals),” he said.

“What is important is that the choice of Councillor Manyenyeni was a democratic process while the other person was imposed by Mugabe,” said Mwonzora.

Manyenyeni holds a Masters degree in Strategic Management. He has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services sector and is currently the general manager of a local insurance company.