But councillors have vowed to ignore the directive accusing the minister of overstepping his mandate.
Chombo ordered Richard Masinire’s reinstatement and also announced the appointment of a special committee to investigate alleged corruption in the local authority.
Masinire was fired in March after an investigation team that comprised a provincial magistrate, a lawyer, three councillors and an official from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions found him guilty of corruption.
He was accused of hiring his friends as administrative officers, providing information to job seekers ahead of interviews and misrepresenting qualifications of friends he recommended for job promotions.
However, in a letter dated August 10, Chombo said he was rescinding “the decision to discharge Masinire, at least until the implementation of the findings of the investigation team, and direct that he be reinstated to the office of the chamber secretary with immediate effect.”
Gweru Mayor Tedious Chimombe said Chombo’s directive was not in the interest of Gweru residents and would be ignored.
“The law says the minister can only reverse, suspend or rescind a decision or action of council if it is not in the interests of the inhabitants of the council area or is not in the national or public interest,” he said.
“As council, we do not think it is of interest to the Gweru residents to reinstate someone who was found guilty of corruption.”
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Chombo has been accused of persistently interfering in the running of MDC-T controlled councils and has suspended a number of councillors for alleged corruption.
