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Harare city commission re-appointed
The Herald (Zimbabwe)
December 13, 2005

http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=478&cat=1&livedate=12/13/2005

THE commission running the affairs of Harare City Council since December 2004 has been re-appointed for a further six months by the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development, Cde Ignatius Chombo.

Members of the commission who have had their terms renewed are Ms Sekesai Makwavarara (chairperson), Professor Jameson Kurasha, Cde Tendai Savanhu, Mrs Prisca Mupfumira, Mrs Viola Chasi, Mr Musavaya Reza, Engineer Noel Muzuva, Mr Michael Mahachi and Mr Terrence Hussein.

Two more members, whose names could not be established last night, have been appointed, bringing to 11 the number of commissioners.

Cde Chombo confirmed the extension of the commission’s term yesterday.

He justified the move saying the commission was now implementing a turnaround strategy as agreed at its appointment.

"The commission is busy with the turnaround strategy. We felt we could not disturb the flow of the implementation process," he said.

The commission’s second term expired last Friday.

The commission was appointed following the dismissal of the MDC-led council in 2004 after it was found guilty of mismanagement of council affairs.

Although commissions are normally appointed for a period of six months, in the case of Harare, the Government indicated at the beginning that the body would operate for 24 months, implying it would periodically renew the commission’s mandate.

The two-year period expires in December 2006.

The Urban Councils Act, which governs the operations of local authorities, empowers the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development to appoint a commission.

The Act states in section 81 that: "A commissioner appointed in terms of sub-section (1) shall hold office during the pleasure of the minister, but his office shall terminate as soon as there are councillors for the council area who are able to exercise all their functions as councillors, or six months after the date of his appointment, whichever occurs first."

The Act states that if the minister is satisfied that after the termination of the office of a commissioner appointed in terms of sub-section (1), there will be no councillors for the council area who will be able to exercise all their functions, the minister may reappoint the commissioner in terms of sub-section (1).

Sub-section (1) states that the minister may appoint a commission to act as council if there are no councillors or all the councillors for a council area have been suspended, imprisoned or are unable to exercise their functions as councillors.

The commissioners have a mammoth task before them as residents have for long been calling for an improvement in service delivery in the city and have accused the city fathers of neglecting malfunctioning street and traffic lights, mounting garbage and increasing potholes.

A survey around the city yesterday showed that traffic lights at the intersection of First Street and Jason Moyo Avenue, Samora Machel Avenue and Leopold Takawira Street, Sam Nujoma Street and Nelson Mandela Avenue, and Robert Mugabe Road and Fourth Street are not working.

Traffic lights at the intersection of Jason Moyo Avenue and Julius Nyerere Way, Samora Machel Avenue East and Robert Mugabe Road and at the section of Enterprise Road where there is a zebra crossing to David Livingstone Primary School were either partially working or had robot heads vandalised.

Potholes also litter most streets in the capital and have gone uncovered.

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