Chaos mars councillors’ swearing-in ceremony

Munyaradzi Doma

Chaos reigned supreme at Harare Town House yesterday during the City of Harare swearing-in ceremony of newly-elected councillors.

The function which had started in all earnest after powerful preaching by one pastor, shortly turned chaotic as some members of the public sang and danced during official proceedings.

The members of public, who were sitting in the public gallery on the upper floor of the Council Chamber, were chanting slogans praising councillors of their respective party while jeering and mocking those from the other side.

Numerous calls by authorities for the members of the public to observe some order fell on deaf ears as they continued with the unruly behaviour.

Municipal officers, who had been tasked to maintain order, had a torrid time trying to restore sanity.

The public address system which the councillors were using to take their oaths of office was no match for the noises of singing and chanting.

As each councillor was taking his oath, members from his or her party were singing, whistling, ululating and chanting praises, while those from the opposite side were jeering and shouting provocatively.

In the upper floor public gallery, some women almost traded blows as they accused each other of insults while some members of the public in the Council Chamber disrupted the proceedings as they rushed to congratulate their councillors.

Most of the councillors could not be heard as they were taking their oaths, while some were visibly disturbed by the noise.

As if the chaos in the Council Chamber was not enough, equally disturbing were scenes outside in the parking lot and grounds, as some members of the public clashed.

They started by singing and dancing as if they were on some contest, before the whole thing turned violent, with fighting erupting.

Unconfirmed reports say some people were injured during the clashes.

While councillors pledged to work for the betterment of the city, respective supporters were, ironically, turning it into a battlefield.

Although he invite from Town Clerk Hosea Chisango was clear that the “councillors and their spouses are invited into the council chamber for the event," it (event) turned out to be a parties’ affair as supporters filled the Council Chamber and Town House grounds in their numbers.

Some of the 59 Harare councillors (45 elected and 14 from Women’s Quota) had to flee for safety as the chaos turned violent.