BY MOSES MATENGA
THE Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance suffered another body blow last week after the MDC-T recalled six of its councillors in Harare, including mayor Herbert Gomba.
MDC-T acting secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora on August 14 wrote to Local Government minister July Moyo recalling Gomba and five other councillors from the City of Harare.
“We hereby notify your office that the following councillors have ceased to belong to the MDC-T which is a member of the MDC Alliance which was formed in terms of the constitutive agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto,” part of Mwonzora’s letter dated August 14, 2020, read.
“In terms of the agreement, seven political parties entered into a pre-election agreement known as the composite political agreement for purposes of contesting the 2018 elections.” The other recalled councillors are Hammy Madzingira, Kudzai Kadzombe, Gaudencia Matere, Costa Mande and Happymore Gotora.
Four other MDC Alliance councillors were fired last month bringing the number to 10. These include Denford Ngadziore, Grisot Mandere, Jaison Kautsa and Tonderai Chakeredza.
The MDC Alliance had 45 councillors in Harare but the March Supreme Court ruling that nullified the appointment of Chamisa as MDC-T vice-president in 2016 by the late Morgan Tsvangirai has caused headaches over who controls elected officials.
The Supreme Court judgment gave Khupe control of the party in an acting capacity for four months awaiting the holding of an extraordinary congress.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Khupe has threatened to axe more councillors in what she said was a fight against corruption although observers accuse her of working with Zanu PF to decimate Chamisa.
MDC Alliance secretary for presidential affairs Jameson Timba warned Moyo against entertaining the order to recall the councillors saying it was tantamount to corruption.
“The Supreme Court judgment which they purportedly derive their authority from in respect of the extension of their term office by a period of four months expired on July 31. Mwonzora and his cabal are not legitimate office bearers of the court-resurrected 2014 structures,” Timba said.
“They are, therefore, not in a position to recall anyone. They cannot recall councillors from a party which they contested against in 2018 and were defeated. I know that there has been a lot of unlawful conduct and lawlessness in Zimbabwe. Any entertainment of unlawful correspondence by the Minister of Local Government will be an act of corruption,” Timba added. Moyo was not immediately available for comment but he recently fired the four Harare councillors on the basis of a letter from the MDC-T,Twenty one of Chamisa’s MPs have been recalled while the youthful leader has also lost the party headquarters to Khupe.
