via Kasukuwere defies High Court order – The Zimbabwean 28.10.2015
Local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere has defied the High Court order to reinstate mayor Hamutendi Kombayi and 13 other MDC-T councillors whom he suspended from town house in August.
Investigations by The Zimbabwean reveal that the minister has given strict instructions that Kombayi must not set foot in his office. Bulawayo High Court judge Nokuthula Moyo last month ordered Kasukuwere to immediately reinstate the city fathers whom he had accused of corruption and dismissed.
Moyo said section 114 of the Urban Councils Act, which the Minister used to suspend the councillors and appoint a tribunal, was inconsistent with section 278 of the Constitution.
Sources said the minister, who is also Zanu (PF)’s national commissar, had told town clerk Daniel Matawu that if the city fathers resumed their duties at town house, he would immediately lose his job. “There is tension over the issue of the councillors. The town clerk, who is a lawyer by profession and has been a magistrate in the past, had shown willingness to abide by the High Court order. But Kasukuwere has openly said they should be blocked by all means,” said the source.
The city fathers have been pressing to come back so that they deal with grievances of residents like unilateral hike of water charges, the prolonged shedding of the precious liquid and irregular garbage collection services, which have all angered people in the city.
Though Kombayi could not comment in line with the MDC-T order for officials not to talk to the media, Munyaradzi Mutandavari, the party’s Midlands South spokesperson, confirmed the developments.
“It is true that Kasukuwere is blocking the mayor and his team’s return to town house. This confirms our concerns about the rule of law in Zimbabwe, but we will not get tired of pushing for them to come back and serve the people who elected them in 2013,” he said.
George Mlilo, the local government ministry’s permanent secretary could not shed any light on reasons for refusing to lift the suspensions, saying only “they remain suspended and the caretaker council put in place by Cde Kasukuwere also remains operational.”
COMMENTS
the rule of law is paramount
rule by mugabe or by grace or by kusukuwere or by chombo must all be discarded.
that way leads to corruption and failure.
rule of law – yes.
rule by individuals – no.
Surely “the law” does not apply to Zanoids? Especially to the major criminals
What rule of law for a bloody Cooper crock and why did that stupid mayor you call city father a boy from London who stole from the very same people who his was meant to lead.
Kombyai must Vostek or I personally remove him stuip fool.
He brides his around even in MDC he bride his way to mayor and when said he did not bride that bloody judge who knows and has a clear understanding of the wrongs that boy has done.
# KombyaimustFall.
Via Honorable Minister stick to your guns that boy must F…off back to London or to Zambia period.
Iwe Collin.. order
Kombayi is now ur city father tumwe tunya siya twakadaro. huya urare ku Midlands hotel umbobaiwa ne Kombayi hospitality.
kkkkk
ZANUPF MINISTERS ARE ABOVE THE LAW! THESE SAVAGES! MANDA DZAKABHATA MAKOLE!!!
Minister Kasukuwere is behaving in a reasonable and prudent manner by applying his mind to the judgement before he implements it. It is not that he is above the law it is just that, by his actions, he is implementing the judgement in the best way he can given his revolutionary background. Possession is nine tenths of the law and he is possessed, in possession, so to speak.
Above the Law? For Gods sake just remove the stupid law, so that nobody would be above or below it. Our forfathers(mothers) existed for tens of thousands of years without any paragraph this and that!
Anoitwei nani zvake. Ari kutonga.