Chitungwiza Mayor Lovemore Maiko allegedly recommended the demotion of the council’s district officer who had been seconded to a ministerial taskforce, which was investigating the misappropriation of State and council land.
Tendai Chinganga, the district officer for Zengeza
district, was reportedly reassigned to a non-existing post of revamping council
libraries and halls, after Maiko presided over a meeting that recommended the
reassignment, without following procedure.
Further to that, the State alleged that Maiko caused the
elevation of Alex Mukwewa from being a housing administrator to housing
manager, a post which had been frozen.
Mukwewa has a pending criminal abuse of duty as a public
officer charge and should have been on suspension.
Maiko yesterday appeared in court before regional
magistrate, Ms Estere Chivasa, charged with criminal abuse of duty. He was
remanded in custody to today for bail application. Mr Alec Muchadehama is
acting on his behalf, while Mr George Manokore is representing the State.
Allegations are that on October 27, Maiko learnt that the
Chitungwiza Municipality public works committee had resolved to refer the
re-assignment of Tendai Chinganga to a non-existing post of revamping council
libraries and halls.
On the same date, the State alleged that Maiko disregarded
the need for the general purpose committee to deliberate on the matter and
hurriedly arranged for a special council meeting without the support of a third
of full council or receiving in writing from at least six councillors the
urgent need for such meeting knowingly and intentionally disregarding a section
of the Urban Council’s Act.
He then directed Mr Godwin Mvere, the chief security
officer, to place a notice for the meeting with only two items listed on the
agenda.
It is alleged that the following day and a few hours before
commencement of the meeting, Maiko directed Mvere to come up with a
supplementary agenda where he directed that although not appearing on the
agenda, as provided in notice for meeting, the reassignment of Chinganga should
top the list of urgent items for discussion in the special council meeting.
He further directed Mvere to include, among other things,
the elevation of Mukwewa from the post of housing administrator to housing
manager.
Maiko knew that Mukwewa was on trial at the court on a
charge of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer. He had allegedly
committed the offence while he was the acting housing director of the
Chitungwiza Municipality.
By adding matters for discussion in the meeting, Maiko
disregarded section 83 (4) of Urban Councils Act chapter 29:15. He allegedly
presided over the meeting and went on to recommend the reassignment of
Chinganga and promoted Mukwewa to an already frozen position of housing
manager.
According to the State, Maiko’s actions were a deliberate
effort meant to disfavour Chinganga who had been seconded by the Chitungwiza
Municipality into a ministerial taskforce which was investigating the
misappropriation of State and council land.
In addition, he favoured Mukwewa who should have been on
suspension pending hearing before the courts. It was not his duty to unfreeze
the post, the court heard. Herald
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