MDC-T councillor Jacob Rukweza not fired as reported by the Herald

On 12 June 2010 the Zimbabwe Herald reported that Chitungwiza ward 17 councillor Jacob Rukweza had been fired and lost his seat after failing to attend three consecutive council meetings without excusing himself.

 In a Facebook discussion initiated by political activist cum protest singer Viomak, the councillor refuted  the claim in a statement below. 

The story by the Herald claiming that I have lost my seat as a councillor is another example of gutter journalism by Herald reporters. For the record I am still the elected councillor for ward 17 in Chitungwiza and nothing is about to change.  

The reporter Michael Chideme also known as Michael Padera is in the habit of writing stories about councillors without checking his facts. What he is referring to in his story was only a mischievous recommendation that was made by an appointed Zanu PF councillor Brighton Chirongwe during a General Purpose Committee meeting to report to the minister of local government about my absence. The recommendation was captured in the minutes of that committee meeting which is normal for such meetings. Obviously the Herald reporter got hold of the committee meeting minutes containing the unelected Zanu PF councillor's comments and assumed that I could be fired on the basis of that recommendation.

The fact is that the mischievous recommendation was promptly dismissed by a full council meeting at its meeting on Tuesday and the issue died a natural death. It’s true I was absent for three consecutive meetings held in one month but I had applied for leave of absence before travelling to South Africa. The unelected Zanu PF councillor did not know this because I don’t have to inform him when I have to be absent. I inform the town clerk as a formality required by the law. Padera did not check with me, the mayor or the town clerk before writing his story on Friday. If he had done that he would not have written the false story. I actually attended the full council meeting on Tuesday and attended the other special meeting of council and the ministry of local government officials in Harare on Thursday where Chitungwiza councillors were absolved of any wrong doing by the commission appointed to investigate allegations of corruption against Chitungwiza councillors. Unfortunately all journalists were barred from that meeting otherwise he would have seen me there.

 It’s clear that Padera does not know the difference between a committee member’s recommendation and a council resolution. A recommendation by any committee or councillor only becomes a substantive council position after it has been adopted by a full council at its meeting. Cllr Chirongwe’s mischievous recommendation as captured in the minutes of a committee meeting made up of 5 councillors cannot be taken as a council resolution. By the way councillors are free to recommend anything during their committee meetings. Moreover, neither the appointed councillor, the town clerk, chamber secretary, mayor, a committee nor full council has the power to fire me as an elected councillor. Only the minister of local government has the power to fire an elected councillor with reasons and the voters in my ward can pass a vote of no confidence.

Minister Ignatius Chombo has not fired me and he will not do that because there is no reason for me to be fired. You will be interested to know that the recommendation was made by an unelected but appointed Zanu PF special interests councillor who hopes to replace me as an elected councillor in ward 17 in the event that there is a by- election. However that will not happen. I was absent for three consecutive meetings while I was seeking special medical treatment in South Africa following a horror road accident in which I sustained broken ribs and legs as well as a fractured shoulder last year. I still go for medical checks. But in all cases I apply for leave of absence which is required at law.

As a municipal reporter Michael Chideme should know the difference between a committee recommendation and a council resolution. He needs to read the Urban Councils Act so that he does not continue to write false municipal stories in future. I am still considering the steps to take in order to get redress from Padera and the Herald. I have several options at my disposal including litigation.

The Herald story has caused unnecessary panic and alarm among my supporters and ward 17 residents as well as unwarranted distress to my family because of this false story. If anyone asks the mayor Cllr Phillimon Chipiyo, town clerk Godfrey Tanyanyiwa, Chamber Secretary Ommega Mugumbate or any councillor in Chitungwiza for that matter, they will tell you that the story is false. I am sure you can now see why I call these reporters fiction writers. I am talking to the Herald editors and I hope they will do something about it.