Chitungwiza Town Council will hold mayoral elections on April 1,the Zim Morning Post can reveal.
The dormitory town has been operating without a substantive mayor since September 2018 following a High Court challenge by Kevin Mutimbanyoka who contested the process of the election which was won by Gift Tvserere and Jabulani Mtunzi as deputy mayor.
Mutimbanyoka, a Zanu PF councillor for ward 13 approached the High Court seeking nullification of the mayoral election results of September 4 2018, describing the polling process as irregular and illegal.
High Court judge Justice Edith Mushore granted an interim order.
According to his notice of opposition filed through his lawyers, Messrs Mavhunga and Associates Legal Practice on October 18, Tsverere said although he and Mtunzi had decided “to eat a humble pie and consent to Mutimbanyoka’s sought relief”, they wanted the latter to know that he “must be day-dreaming if he harbours any minute chance of reversing the result in his favour.”
In the election, Tsverere received 19 votes against two received by Mutimbanyoka as three other councillors walked out before the elections were conducted.
Sources within the council confirmed to this publication that an election will be conducted on Monday April 1 or Tuesday April 2 at the council chambers.
Zim Morning Post can exclusively reveal that members of the MDC Alliance will battle it out on their own as they have failed on who should be the face of the council from the biggest opposition party since the MDC Alliance has 21 councillors against ZANU PF which has only four councillors.
“There is a bit of confusion within the party on who should be elected Mayor but we have three people who are vying for the post who are Gift Tsverere, Lovemore Maiko and Goodwill Mushangwe,” said our source.
Sources within the MDC Alliance said that Tsverere is the front runner since he has received the blessings of the party president Nelson Chamisa.
“We have three candidates but be rest assured that Tsverere will land the post , he has received the blessings of President (Nelson) Chamisa but councilors might boycott that decision , they will be a caucus this weekend to whip councilors to vote for Tsverere,” said the insider close to the goings on.
