URBAN COUNCILS ACT Chapter 29:15 48 Assumption of office of mayor (1) A person elected as mayor shall take office on the date on which he is declared or deemed to have been elected mayor: Provided that, if his predecessor’s term of office has not yet expired, he shall take office on the expiry of that term. (2) Before undertaking any duty as such, a mayor shall take and subscribe before the town clerk such oath of loyalty and office as may be prescribed. [Section as substituted by s. 28 of Act No. 21 of 1997.] 49 Election and qualifications of mayor [Section repealed by s. 29 of Act No. 21 of 1997.] 50 Disqualifications of mayor [Section repealed by s. 29 of Act No. 21 of 1997.] 51 Term of office of mayor (1) The term of office of a mayor shall be a period of four years: Provided that the mayor shall continue in office until the person elected as mayor at the next election of mayor assumes office. (2) … [Subsection repealed by s. 30 of Act No. 21 of 1997.] 52 Acting mayor Whenever the office of mayor is vacant or the mayor is absent from Zimbabwe or is unable to perform the functions of his office by reason of illness or any other cause, his functions shall be assumed and performed by the deputy mayor. 53 Vacation of office by mayor A mayor shall vacate his office and his office shall become vacant— (a) one month after the date upon which he gives notice in writing to the Minister of his intention to resign, or on the expiry of such other period of notice as he and the Minister may agree; or (b) on the date he begins to serve a sentence of imprisonment imposed in Zimbabwe without the option of a fine— (i) in Zimbabwe, in respect of an offence; or (ii) outside Zimbabwe, in respect of conduct which if committed in Zimbabwe, would constitute an offence; (c) if he is convicted, whether in Zimbabwe or elsewhere, of an offence involving dishonesty and is sentenced to a fine of level four or more or to imprisonment without the option of a fine, whether or not any part of that sentence is suspended: Provided that, if he notes an appeal against the conviction, the question of his vacation of office shall not be determined until the appeal is withdrawn or finally concluded; or [Paragraph amended by s. 4 of Act 22/2001.] (d) if he becomes disqualified in terms of subsection (3) of section 103H of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:01] from continuing in office as mayor. [Paragraph as inserted by s. 31 of Act No. 21 of 1997.] 54 Dismissal and suspension of mayor (1) The President may require a mayor to vacate his office if the mayor— (a) has been guilty of any conduct that renders him unsuitable as mayor; or (b) is mentally or physically incapable of efficiently carrying out the functions of his office. (2) The Minister may suspend a mayor— (a) whom he suspects on reasonable grounds of having been guilty of conduct referred to in paragraph (a) of subsection (1); or (b) against whom criminal proceedings have been instituted for an offence in respect of which a sentence of imprisonment without the option of a fine may be imposed; or 25