BY Nqobani Ndlovu
MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has thrown his party councillors in Bulawayo under the bus, accusing them of treachery, betrayal, playing tomfoolery and hobnobbing with Zanu PF.
Chamisa told Southern Eye at the weekend that the opposition party no longer had control over its councillors since they were no longer accountable to the residents who elected them.
He revealed that the MDC Alliance was auditing the conduct of Bulawayo councillors — some of whom face accusations of corruption, particularly in the allocation of housing stands and tenders.
“As we go to the election, we have seen the treachery and betrayal of most of the people who were elected by the people of Bulawayo,” Chamisa said.
“Some have pitched camp with the opponent, some have now switched sides because they want to preserve their council seats and now playing tomfoolery, ducking and diving and they are shaking, wobbling and vacillating.”
He added: “We need to make sure that we nip that in the bud. For example, in Bulawayo we are auditing most of the councillors, but most of the councillors have not been accountable to the residents and to the party and we are going to tell the people. We no longer have full control and we no longer have full charge of some of them. They have now joined Zanu PF and as you know Zanu PF has different shades.”
Recently, the MDC Alliance leadership sent a probe team to Bulawayo to investigate reports of infighting and factionalism in the party.
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This was at a time when reports had emerged that some members, legislators and councillors in Bulawayo had crossed the floor to the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T to escape recall from Parliament and council.
“The MDC is a big party, a giant party. Elephants whenever they move, there is always a lot of attrition. Our great movement is a big giant organisation, we will always have those kinds of things (infighting) and because there is motion, there is momentum, movement, attrition and we are likely to have frictional issues,” Chamisa added.
“We have sent a team, the team is to have their report considered not as a crisis issue or crisis situation, it’s just an opportunity to strengthen our organisation and to make sure Bulawayo as our stronghold is strengthened further.”
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