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MDC-N suspends top officials for attending MDC-T meeting

Local News
THE Welshman Ncube-led MDC-N has suspended four top executives and summoned them to a disciplinary hearing for attending a meeting convened by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T on August 3, 2021.

BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA

THE Welshman Ncube-led MDC-N has suspended four top executives and summoned them to a disciplinary hearing for attending a meeting convened by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T on August 3, 2021.

According to Faruoh Jele, the national disciplinary committee chairperson, who authored the letters, the four officials violated the party’s constitution.

The four are Christopher Monera (secretary for policy and research), Shipikai Mandaza (vice-chairperson), Munhangu Musevenzo (secretary for training and political education) and Gift Kurupati (national council member).

Part of the letter seen by NewsDay dated August 9, 2021, addressed to Monera read: “Suspension from the membership of the MDC-N.

“The MDC national disciplinary committee met on August 9, 2021 to consider allegations that you facilitated and attended a meeting at the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T head office on or around August 3, 2021, without the mandate from the party.”

“Accordingly, you are hereby being notified that you have been suspended with immediate effect from your position as secretary for policy and research and from your membership of the party, pending appearance before the national disciplinary committee on charges of breaching clauses 4.4[a], 4.4[b], 4.4[c] and 4.10[a] of the party constitution.

“The allegations levelled against you include acting in defiance of standing national council resolutions, bringing the name of the party into disrepute, acting in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the party by inter alia purporting to be the principal of the party and attending as well as facilitating other party members to attend a meeting organised by the Mwonzora-led MDC-T. You will be advised in due course of the date and time of the hearing.”

Although Monera, who is being accused of facilitating the attendance of other party members, could not be reached for comment, Kurupati admitted frequenting Harvest House to visit Mwonzora’s spokesperson Lloyd Damba whom he said is a personal friend. He however, denied attending any MDC-T meeting.

“I usually visit Harvest House to see Damba who is my personal friend, but not on party business.

“In any case, I know MDC-N no longer exists and our leader is now the vice-president of the MDC Alliance. So we would want to know who our leader is.

“We last had our congress in 2011 whose structures’ term of office ran for five years to 2016. We never had any congress since then. So according to the party constitution, the party no longer has any structures,” Kurupati said.

However, Jele was adamant that the party still exists.

“As you rightly know, the Supreme Court ruled that MDC Alliance is not a party, but a grouping of various parties. That shows that MDC-N still exists.

“These guys are going to appear before a disciplinary hearing committee on a date to be announced,” Jele said.

MDC-N national spokesperson Kurauone Chihwayi could not be reached for comment.

 Follow Garikai on Twitter @garry4peace