MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has given in to a directive by Local Government Rural and Urban Development minister Ignatius Chombo to have mayors selected from elected councillors.
Report by Moses Matenga/Everson Mushava
Tsvangirai had until yesterday endorsed Obert Gutu for Harare’s mayoral post and Isaac Manyemba for Chitungwiza.
But yesterday, Tsvangirai summoned his party councillors from Harare and Chitungwiza for a meeting following which he reversed his earlier decision.
This comes as the Electoral Court yesterday threw out the application by the MDC-T over the issue.
The matter, which was set before Justice Andrew Makoni, was thrown out on the basis that the party had approached the wrong court.
“The Electoral Court said it has no jurisdiction to hear the case,” MDC-T lawyer, Tendai Amon Toto said.
After the meeting with councillors, Tsvangirai reportedly made an announcement at his party headquarters, Harvest House, that the party had finally settled for Ward 8 councillor Chris Mbanga and his Ward 17 counterpart Bernard Manyenyeni as the two that would compete for the mayorship of Harare. It could, however, not immediately be established who had been nominated for Chitungwiza.
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Newly-appointed chief-whip for Harare Councillor Peter Moyo confirmed the development, saying the decision was reached as the party was awaiting the court ruling on the matter.
“It’s a suggestion that was brought up and we all agreed to it,” said Moyo.
Impeccable sources who attended the meeting addressed by Tsvangirai said the outgoing Premier brought up the idea and no one disputed it.
The party organising secretary Nelson Chamisa and secretary for local government Blessing Chebundo also attended the meeting.
“The president called for the caucus and said we should have an alternative plan,” said the source.
Party spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora confirmed the “plan B” adding that the party arrived at the decision after putting into consideration the “uncertainty of the court’s view on the matter”.
“I can confirm that in view of the uncertainty of how courts may look at this matter, we have decided to look at plan B should our persistence with the courts fail. I am not yet at liberty to disclose who may be the chosen one,” said Mwonzora.
In dismissing the application, Justice Makoni said the MDC-T had approached the wrong court. However, Mwonzora said they had gone to the Electoral Court because they felt the mayoral elections were a continuation of the July 31 polls.
“The matter is no longer in the hands of the Electoral Court. We have an option to approach the High Court to hear the same urgent application and make a determination to grant and reject the relief sought,” Toto said.
He said MDC-T could also approach the Constitutional Court for interpretation of the contentious sections 265(2) and 274(2) as read with section 275 of the constitution in relation to the provisions of the Urban Councils Act and the Local Government Laws Amendment Act.
On the issue of three council run-off elections due for Sunday, MDC-T secretary-general Tendai Biti yesterday expressed doubts over their credibility.
The reason he said was that the Registrar-General’s (RG) Office had failed to provide soft copies of the voters roll to the contesting parties.
“We have requested, from the RG’s office, soft copies of the voters’ roll for these wards, but the authorities are adamant they will not avail the voters’ roll to us. The freeness, fairness and credibility of these elections are already in doubt. The same irregularities that plagued the July 31 election are still with us today,” Biti told a press conference in Harare yesterday.
