BY SILAS NKALA
The Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T on Tuesday recalled two MDC Alliance councillors for Lupane’s Kusile Rural District Council (KRDC).
The two councillors, June Mpofu of ward 15 and Thabani Dube of ward 19 were supposed to have been recalled last September after Local Government minister July Moyo wrote to advise council that the MDC-T had ordered the duo’s recall.
They became the first batch of councillors to be recalled this year after over 165 were recalled last year following a March Supreme Court ruling that declared MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa an illegitimate leader.
In a letter, dated September 11, 2020, Minister Moyo advised KRDC that the two councillors had been recalled by MDC-T.
“I wish to inform you that I am in receipt of a letter from MDC-T stating that the following councillors have been expelled from the party: Mpofu June of ward 15 and Thabani Dube of ward 19,” Moyo wrote.
“In terms of section 278(1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe as read with section 129(1)(k), wards 15 and 19 are now vacant. In terms of Section 121 of the Electoral Act, please inform the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec).”
MDC Alliance Matabeleland North chairperson Prince Dubeko Sibanda yesterday confirmed the recall describing it as evil, not only to his party but to the electorate, which chose the councillors.
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“It’s true that they have recalled two of our councillors Mpofu and Dube. This is a continued assault on democracy by Zanu PF and it is appendage. They are abusing a court judgment which was given purely for academic and futuristic purposes,” Sibanda said.
“Our response will be both political and legal. Obviously the loser in all this is the citizens’ rights to be represented by a person of their choice. The other loser is democracy. One of the councillors, who have been recalled, was not even a member of the MDC-T before the formation of the Alliance.
“Very soon, we will be conducting demonstrations throughout the province demanding by-elections. We know that Zanu PF — Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu PF — Mwonzora-combined cannot beat us in any election.”
MDC-T acting national spokesperson Witness Dube said the recall was made before their extraordinary congress held in December last year and that there would be no further recalls.
“These recalls were done before our extraordinary congress and it is unfortunate they were only effected yesterday (Tuesday). There will be no further recalls by our party. This is the position of the party as led by president Mwonzora,” Dube said.
By end of last year, the MDC-T had recalled over 30 MDC Alliance legislators.
