The Mayor of Gweru, Councillor Hamutendi Kombayi was sacked because he bought MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai and his party lunch with council funds.
Kombayi spent $1 339 on lunch and drinks without a council resolution. He refused to pay back the money. A tribunal found that Kombayi invited Tsvangirai to Gweru and held a meeting at Antelope Park with his party faithful using the municipality’s funds.
“For him to come to Gweru and benefit or prejudice the rate payer’s money baffled the tribunal. The first respondent (Clr Kombayi) clearly stated that the delegates to the tour composed of Morgan Tsvangirai, Sesil Zvidzai (Gweru Urban MP), councillors who are respondents and other various unidentified people presumably MDC-T supporters and sympathisers. The tribunals analysis unanimously concluded that the March 5, 2015 gathering was a political function and not a council event and as such council has no business in funding such an activity,” reads part of the tribunal finding.
“The notice of the tour emanates from the office of the mayor. The mayor is the one who invited Morgan Tsvangirai to come to Gweru. The duty to invite a guest lies with a full council meeting laced with an appropriate council resolution to that effect indicating the purpose, benefit and cost to the council; no such resolution exists.”
“The tribunal having found the first respondent guilty is of the view that he is dismissed as councillor and that a surcharge of $1 339 is ordered against him.” – State Media