MAYORS INAUGARATION SPEECH – QUEENS HALL – 15 OCTOBER 2009

It is with great personal pleasure and honour that I stand before you on this occasion.

Members of the public approached me in 2007 with the idea of me standing as their Mayor. After much soul searching and deliberation I accepted this challenge.

This request to stand as Mayor was, for me, public confirmation of my status as being a true Zimbabwean. This was key to my accepting the challenge, and for this I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I would like also to pay tribute to my fellow Councillors who have shown faith in me as their Mayor. You can be assured of my total commitment during my term of office.

Time does not permit me to go into any great detail of Councils achievements and as some will say non-achievements, but allow me to outline our overall objectives.

We follow three main pillars of principal, namely to act in a democratic, transparent and accountable manner. To this end we encourage public scrutiny of our endeavours and hope to be, on the whole, sensitive to public concerns. 

Our aim is to employ a work force that is committed to the well being of the city, its people and its assets. There are clear guidelines in the urban council act with which we in tend to keep. The main one I am referring to is that of the ratio of Employees salaries, wages and benefits, to service delivery expenditure and so on.

It is not correct to say that our infrastructure has collapsed, but it is certainly true that it does need urgent attention, refurbishment and expansion. This will not happen if we do not keep to those required ratios.

While council is desperately trying to re-capitalize, refurbish, expand and improve on basic service deliveries, we are extremely appreciative of the efforts of our councillors in mobilising vast numbers of volunteers within their respective High-density wards. And to the volunteers we say a big Thank You.

Their assistance has augmented the work of council staff with refuse collection and road drain clearing. These voluntary efforts are ongoing and have been complimented by the business community in providing trucks of various sizes to transport refuse. Thanks must go to the Shandira group who have co-ordinated this effort with our health department.

It would be a derelict of duty on my part not to mention other organizations who have stepped in so readily to assist the people of Mutare. Or twinning cities of Harlem in Holland, Portland in Oregon USA and more recently Xanchue of China have all been of great help in the exchange of cultural and other ideas. Mercy Corp has been extremely active within the city, spearheading the fight against cholera and assisting in the provision of clean potable water. Their efforts in the rehabilitation of communal ablution blocks, in our High-density suburbs was the catalyst we needed with the voluntary work I mentioned earlier.

We are at a very advanced stage of concluding our negotiations with SIDA and their country director is optimistic that the Million Dollar facility will soon be advanced. This is an un-collactorised, interest free facility, with a repayment holiday of one year. This facility is to be used for the purchase of plant and equipment for restoring refuse management services. This opportunity is a 1^st in Zimbabwe and the expression of confidence by SIDA has been facilitated by the exceptional manner in which we have handled the overdraft availed to us by a leading local bank Kingdom Bank Holdings. This facility afforded us the ability of stabilizing and restoring initial attempts of service delivery.

Ladies and gentlemen I could ramble on for ages – 5 hours even!! – with items of interest, but regular meetings with the business community have been arranged and information dissemination can be effected more fully there, and also through many feed back meetings your councillors have within their respective wards.

Members of the Mutare public! I have said earlier that this council, encourages public scrutiny of its activities, this is no idle invitation. With the looting and misappropriation that has happened around the country it is important for the public to pay attention to the affairs that concern their own well being and that of their fellow man. We have a job to do in refurbishing and rebuilding infrastructure and systems, we ask for assistance from all who care, but will brook no quarter for those who act, either on their own or, for larger groups to purposely place hurdles in our way. These hurdles can only prolong our inability to provide adequate service delivery and we must be aware of the subtleties that are hidden behind these hurdles.

We must all be brave to challenge underperformance, fraud and corruption. As true Zimbabweans “sons of the soil” we must guard jealously our commitment to bring about change and development in the country. It is in this vein that I find it extremely disheartening to note that some amongst us prefer to fight and prejudice other Zimbabweans by charging them with grievous cases and incarcerating them, such as the recent case with Senator Roy Bennett.

But Ladies and Gentlemen, when all is said and done, this is your city – look after it!

I thank you.

SPEECH BY THE DEPUTY MAYOR, COUNCILLOR I. MASAKA AT THE INSTALLATION OF MAYOR CEREMONY, HELD ON 15 OCTOBER 2009. AT THE MUTARE HALL.

All protocol observed

It is with great honour that I take this opportunity to firstly congratulate His Worship, the Mayor Councillor Brian James for being officially installed as Mayor for the City of Mutare. It is indeed a privilege to serve you during your tenure in office in my capacity as deputy Mayor for the City of Mutare.

I would also want to take this opportunity to thank residents of ward 14 for voting me into office as Councillor. I shall strive to deliver all that I promised you during my campaign for the growth, betterment and development of our city.

I would also like to thank fellow Councillors here present for electing me into office as deputy Mayor. I am aware that the tasks, duties and responsibilities that have been bestowed upon me are of mammoth proportions, but I shall endeavour to serve our city with diligence, integrity and honesty. Together we have already come a long way and together we should aim even higher for the future is what we make it. I am very grateful for the good relationship that has been cultivated between His Worship, fellow Councillors and the Management of City of Mutare. We should continue in this stride for the development and growth of our city.

I thank you

SPEECH BY COUNCILLOR G. JERISON (CHIEF WHIP) AT THE INSTALLATION OF MAYOR BRIAN L. JAMES INAUGARATION CEREMONY HELD ON 15 OCTOBER 2009, AT MUTARE HALL.

All protocol reserved.

It is with profound respect that I rise to give my appreciation to the Mayor for his admirable service to the City of Mutare and its residents.

I am quite happy to say that the Mutare City Council takes great pride in the Mayor’s wisdom, foresight and visionary leadership in the management of the affairs of the city. He has contributed immensely to solving some of the Council’s challenging problems. His guidance in Council’s deliberations is always worth noting since he exudes fairness, democracy and prudence. His outstanding character qualified him to hold a high position of trust in the city.

I am confident that my fellow Councillors and the management team of City of Mutare will agree with that the mayor has devoted his valuable time and energy to serve the Mutare community. He always knows where his wisdom is most required in terms of the management of the affairs of the city.

I am extremely impressed to note that the achievements made by the new Council since its inception into office, have already been mentioned by the Mayor in his speech. You will agree with me that the successes highlighted by the Mayor cannot be attributed to one man but instead it is a reflection of a high sense of unity for purpose, hard work and mutual understanding among the Mayor, Councillors, the Town Clerk, the Management team and the entire workforce of Mutare City Council. It is my sincere hope that such unity of purpose is maintained to enhance development in the city.

I wish to highlight that the mayor is determined to attend to the needs of the residents of Mutare and to ensure that the City develops in line with the wishes of the citizens of Mutare. He has the interests of the citizens of the city at heart. In that regard, he has sharpened lines of communication between the Council and all the key stakeholders in running the affairs of the City. It is my wish that we should continue to work collectively and that the team spirit will remain intact.

I wish to express my deep gratitude to the Mayor and hope with all my heart that God will give him more strength and courage to serve the residents of Mutare.

I thank you

[Home] [About Mutare] [Calender] [Contact Us] [Councillors] [Heads Of Departments] [Committee Members] [Photo Gallery] [Attractions In Mutare] [Ads & Meetings] [Resolutions] [Recent Speeches] [Past Speeches] [Master Plan] [Updates] [Public Works] [Sport, Recreation & Entertainment] [HEALTH DEPARTMENT - HIGH ALERT] [Mutare - Haarlem City Link]

Designed & Commissioned by C. J. de Meyer. Please visit www.stargaze.co.za for more info