By A Correspondent- Mutare acting town clerk Tinashe Mtetwa has been suspended for allegedly calling off interviews for the position at the last minute.

The interviews were slated for Monday this week, but Mtetwa circulated a memo, which he claimed was signed by Mutare mayor Blessing Tandi, calling off the interviews at the last minute.

An infuriated Tandi then suspended him. The suspension letter, signed by Tandi, read:The above matter refers: the memo serves to inform you that the mayor is suspending you from the office of town clerk immediately in terms of section(139)3 which you were holding in acting capacity.

You prejudice council of revenue by calling off interviews of the town clerk, whose preparations were at an advanced stage, thereby failing to implement council resolutions despite instructions to do so.

You called off the trip to Harare for illegal opinion by the employment council when some of the attendees were already in Harare, yet you had earlier approved the trip. You advised council on the legality of the recruitment process for the substantive town clerk interviews.

In light of the above, and as the mayor, I see it fit that council cannot continue with you in office forthwith.

Mutare City Council was supposed to conduct town clerk interviews for eight shortlisted candidates on Monday, but Mtetwa stopped the interviews last Friday claiming that he was not informed about the issue.

The city is yet to have a substantive town clerk since January this year after Joshua Maligwa succumbed to COVID-19.