The Mayor of Mutare is the executive of the government of Mutare, Zimbabwe (known as Umtali until 1983). The Mayor is a member of the Mutare City Council, and is assisted by a deputy mayor. The Mayor uses the style "His Worship". The current mayor is Simon Chabuka.

History The Town of Umtali became a municipality, in the form of a town, on 11 June 1914. Its first mayor, elected in August 1914, was G. F. Dawson. The mayor and new municipal council replaced the Sanitary Board which had previously governed the settlement.

In 1980, following Zimbabwe's independence, Davidson Jahwi was elected the first black Mayor of Umtali.

Umtali's name was changed to Mutare in 1983.

In 2005, Mayor Misheck Kagurabadza (MDC–T) was suspended from his position by the Minister of Local Government, Ignatius Chombo. Mutare, along with other major cities that had seen their democratically elected MDC–T mayors suspended, was governed by a ZANU–PF-dominated special commission until 2008.

In 2008, Brian James, a white MDC–T member, was elected mayor. He was suspended and then fired in 2008 by Ignatius Chombo, who accused James of mismanagement, misconduct, and insubordination. However, the firing was, in reality, thought to be politically motivated.

List of mayors The following is a list of past mayors of Mutare (previously known as Umtali until 1983).

Mayor Term start Term end Party19141916191619171917191819181920RGA192019211921192219221923192319251925192619261927192719281928192919291932Rhodesia Party193219341934193819381941Liberal Party194119421942194519451948194819491949195219521953195319551955195719571958195819591959196119611964United Federal Party1964196619661968196819691969197219721975August 1975August 19771977197819781980November 198024 January 1984ZANU–PF19841991 October 1990 August 2003ZANU–PF Independent MDC–T 200323 July 2005MDC–TMayor suspended; Mutare administered by a special commission2008April 2013MDC–TSeptember 2013September 2018MDC–T6 September 201811 February 2022MDC Alliance17 February 2022August 2023CCC11 September 20239 November 2023CCC28 November 2023CCC

Deputy mayors

Notable former deputy mayors Leslie Herbert Morris, future mayor John Constantinos Kircos, future mayor E. M. Phillips, future mayor

References