Controversy continues as Dar es Salaam Mayor locked out of office

Dar es Salaam. The fate of ‘ousted’ Dar es Salaam City Mayor Isaya Mwita, still hangs in balance after he remained locked out of the office on Monday, January 13, 2020.

Mr Mwita arrived at his office – located at Karimjee Hall – in the morning only to find out that the key for him to access the office has been changed.

Speaking at the scene, Mr Mwita exuded disapproval at what had happened, promising however that he would keep ‘fighting for his right’.

Security persons at the area said they were acting on directives ‘from above’ that bar anyone from accessing the area.

“We are working on directives from our bosses and no one is allowed to access the area,’ said a security person who was found the area.

He refused to get into the details and on the timeframe of the ‘ban’.

On Thursday, January 9, 2020, members of the City Council cast a vote of no confidence against Mr Mwita, whereby 16 councilors from the ruling party, CCM, voted against him, citing abuse of office and other issues of misconduct.

Chaos ensued after councilors from the Opposition Chadema contested the decision, saying it was against Dar es Salaam City Council (DCC) standing orders.

According to Standing Orders No 84, Section 1, the Council may impeach the mayor by a resolution supported by two thirds of the members of the Dar es Salaam City Council.

Currently, the number of Council members of the city is 26, meaning its two-thirds is 17 members.

However, the city executive director Ms Sipora Liana said during the event, the decision was made basing on the two thirds of the members who attended the impeachment meeting on Thursday last week.

Speaking to The Citizen, the director said the number of members who cast votes was 17 and not 26, so the two-third needed to impeach the mayor was 11 members of those present in the meeting.

“Currently the city has no mayor because no election has been held yet,” she said.

Deputy city mayor Mr Abdallah Mtanika has therefore taken over the mayoral duties, if indeed Mwita is impeached as per the procedures.