GWERU Town Clerk Ms Elizabeth Gwatipedza has been suspended
on allegations of mismanagement as the fight for the control of council affairs
continues.
Ms Gwatipedza was served with a suspension letter yesterday
afternoon.In an interview, Ms Gwatipedza confirmed that she has been suspended.
“Yes I have been suspended,” she said. Mayor Councillor
Josiah Makombe said the matter would be made public today during a Press
conference which he has called.
“This and other issues will be dealt with during a Press
briefing tomorrow (today),” he said.
Sources said Ms Gwatipedza was served with a suspension
letter by the mayor at around 4PM when
she was chairing a management meeting.
The sources said Clr Makombe accompanied by council police
then ordered her to pack her belongings and locked her office.
“She was suspended at around 4PM when she was busy chairing
a management meeting which the chamber secretary — Mr Chikwekwe — was also part
of.
The mayor then ordered that she removes her belongings from
the office before he locked the door and took away the keys. Even Ms
Gwatipedza’s secretary was told to leave her office,” said the source.
“The mayor accused her of failure to supervise departments
and mismanagement. This is about politics as she is thought to be Zanu-PF
working in an MDC Alliance led council.
“Initially it was the chamber secretary who was supposed to
be suspended on allegations of abusing a council fuel facility but they decided
to go for the town clerk first.”
In July, Bulawayo Town Clerk Christopher Dube was also
suspended by the town’s deputy mayor Tinashe Kambarami but the suspension was
subsequently lifted by council.
The town clerk later approached the courts which ruled that
the suspension had been unlawful. Chronicle
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