Dar City Mayor files case to block plan to dethrone him
Dar es Salaam. The Dar es Salaam City Council (DCC) Mayor Mr Isaya Mwita has gone to court to stop what he described as unjustified plans by councillors to impeach and remove him from office.
This follows completion of investigations by a committee formed by the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Mr Paul Makonda over his alleged financial misconducts and abuse of office.
The application to halt the move that was filed at the Kisutu Resident magistrate’s court yesterday will be heard today 10am. Dar es Salaam councillors have planned to hold a meeting Thursday morning at Karimjee Hall to discuss the findings of the committee that was tasked to investigate the accusations.
The mayor is accused of failing to spend Sh5.8 billion income from Usafiri Dar es Salaam (UDA) of which the Dar es Salaam City Council owns a 51 percent stake, misuse of office vehicle, failure to organize council meetings.
The main opposition Chadema coast zone lawyer Mr Alex Masaba said the application has sought a permanent injunction against any impeachment attempt.
“The case will be heard tomorrow (today) at 10am. The court summonses have already been sent to the regional commissioner, Dar es Salaam city executive director and the Attorney General,” he said.
Mr Mwita, who is also a member of Chadema’s central committee said, last year the accusations were politically motivated to remove from his office, of which he has served for four years.
Mr Mwita who is also the councilor for Vijibweni has asked religious leaders to pray for his impeachment survival because they are fabricated politically.
Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe said yesterday that what is happening is the continuation of ongoing dirty campaign of silencing dissidents and disrespect to multiparty democracy.
“What is happening in Dar es Salaam happened in Karatu and Babati in Manyara and Siha in Kilimanjaro regions where our mayors and districts council chairman have been illegally removed from their offices,” he said.
