RECALLED Harare mayor Ian Makone is still running the municipality behind the scenes advising his inexperienced successor Lovejoy Chitengu.
Chitengu was recently elected mayor of Harare after Makone was recalled by self-proclaimed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) interim secretary-general, Sengezo Tshabangu.
Makone was recalled alongside his deputy Kudzai Kadzombe and councillor Denford Ngadziore.
“We were recalled by people who did not have the mandate to recall us. The new mayor has a right to get advice from somewhere and not necessarily me. Even during my time as mayor, I would also seek advice from my fellow councillors,” Makone said when contacted for comment.
“As CCC, we have good councillors and we will never leave a vacuum because our members have been recalled,” he said.
However, sources at Town House this week revealed that CCC leader Nelson Chamisa ordered Chitengu’s election to avoid having a capable individual who could outshine Makone.
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Chitengu’s election was marred by skirmishes, with Ngadziore allegedly manhandling former mayor Jacob Mafume while blocking him from participating in the polls.
Chitengu was not available for comment yesterday as he was said to be at a workshop in Nyanga.
Chitengu’s name was on Tshabangu’s recall list, but he survived because his surname was misspelt.