Bulawayo Town Clerk, Christopher Dube, is seeking to extend his term of office until he reaches the age of 70, CITE has learnt.
Dube reportedly wrote a letter to the mayor and councillors, requesting council to rescind its 2024 resolution on his contract extension, and to align his continued employment with the new government policy that allows senior government officials to serve until the age of 70.
In a confidential letter seen by CITE, dated September 30, 2025, Dube noted that council had in February 2024 extended his contract by two years, from 1 October 2024 to 30 November 2025, and from 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026, with a provision to review his retirement at the age of 65.
However, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, under Statutory Instrument 198 of 2024, extended the retirement age for Chief Executive Officers of local authorities from 65 to 70 years.
It is on this basis that Dube is seeking to continue serving until he reaches the new retirement age.
“In regard to the policy changes mentioned above, namely, the lifting of term limits for Heads of Local Authorities and extension of late retirement age of Local Authorities employees, I therefore submit my recommendations that the council resolution on the extension of my contract of employment by two years be rescinded as it has been overtaken by the change of policies, and my employment be continued in line with the change of policies mentioned above in the report,” the letter read.
Dube said he had decided to write the letter to expedite the process, citing the failure of the responsible council committee to discuss the matter on time.
“I wish to clearly make a declaration that I was left with no choice but to bring my report straight to Council,” the letter read.
“The compelling reason being, following the postponement of the General Purposes Committee that partly dealt with my matter on September 22, 2025. The Special General Purposes Committee has twice failed to sit, on Monday, 29 and Tuesday, 30 September 2025, because of lack of a quorum.
“I understand very well that matters should be dealt with at Committee level and then recommended to Council for decisions. However, I am now afraid that my matter may end up out of time because we are now two months away from the expiry of my contract.”
Dube took office as Bulawayo town clerk in October 2016, succeeding the late Middleton Nyoni. His initial four-year contract was set to expire in September 2020, but councillors agreed to extend it before that date. In February 2024, the council resolved to extend his term for two years.
He previously served in the same role at the Victoria Falls Municipality.
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