BDP vows to reclaim GCC mayoral chain

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Friday June 28, 2013 00:00

 

Briefing the media on the standoff at the city council, nominated councillor Rupert Hambira stressed yesterday that the BDP would not take part in any GCC deliberations until the mayor resigns.The ruling BDP wants the mayor, Haskins Nkaigwa, to step down because the opposition is no longer in the majority.However, the mayor is adamant that he would not quit because that would contravene the Local Government Act.

BDP has 18 councillors while the opposition has 17. BDP's number increased following Village Ward councillor Seabelo Thekiso's defection to the ruling party. The standoff at the GCC started when Hambira tabled a motion that called for the toppling of the council leadership.When tabling the motion, he said given the fact that the current leadership of the GCC had lost majority status, they should resign their positions with immediate effect so the council could elect new leaders.

The mayor's refusal to stand down has angered BDP councillors so much that they will boycott the council meetings until the mayor steps down. So far, Hambira said, they are still looking at a political solution and try to pressurise the council leadership until it gives in.Hambira, who was accompanied by former GCC mayor Veronica Lesolle and former BCP councillor Thekiso, also accused mayor Nkaigwa of undermining their status as councillors.

Lesolle alleged that they were being obstructed by the mayor from performing their council duties.  'The mayor is out of control, he is undermining our work as councillors. He goes about insulting us yet some of us are older than him. He is arrogant and does not know how to address elders,' Lesolle charged.Lesolle said in 2011 Nkaigwa petitioned and successfully removed the BDP mayor from office because of the numerical advantage the opposition had then.  She added that politics is a game of numbers, as such the mayor should vacate the seat because he no longer has numbers on his side.