Harare needs a dictator, says mayor

via Harare needs a dictator, says mayor – New Zimbabwe 21/03/2015

HARARE mayor Bernard Manyenyeni, struggling for control against his Zanu PF-supported town clerk, has said a dictatorship is needed to bring sanity at Town House.

Manyenyeni, who was addressing residents at a water indaba which was organized by the Combined Harare Residents Association, said only a dictator could bring order to Harare city council.

The mayor, who is failing to control Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi, said he was going to use dictatorship to force his subordinates to improve service delivery.

Manyenyeni, at one time, suspended Mahachi only to be overruled by local government minister Ignatius Chombo who re-instated the official.

He said he was facing stiff resistance from council employees and could not take them to task because he was a ceremonial mayor.

“The city needs some sort of a brutal dictator, an honest and benevolent dictator who will do what is right regales of the consequences,” said Manyenyeni.

“I am talking about a more trusted version of Gideon Gono, a less political version of Jonathan Moyo. That type of personality provided they have the support of everybody.

“But that person should come out of the following, the Town Clerk, the mayor, the minister of local government and if necessary the state President.

“One of those four people should be sincere but powerful enough to call the shots and get the things right. I am happy to support that person whoever he is and I am also happy to be that person.”

Last month Manyenyeni said he was ready to resign if there was a candidate willing to take over.

He also said politics was affecting service delivery and revealed that the military was also holding regular secret meetings at Town House without his approval.