 Chiroto, who is a member of the MDC was elected as Mayor of Harare by the councillors on June 15.Ignatius Chombo, the Minister of Local Government, had not sworn in the new local administrations, and because the elected Harare councillors were not allowed to meet at Harare's Town House, they met elsewhere to elect Chiroto.On the night of June 16, Chiroto's house in the suburb of Hatcliffe was attacked and destroyed by ZANU-PF supporters; Chiroto believed that petrol bombs were used.