Acting Harare mayor Emmanuel Chiroto has vowed to contest his expulsion from the MDC-T, the party that gave him fame, arguing his “purported” axing over allegations of corruption was engineered by senior party officials who felt intimidated by his growing popularity in Hatcliffe North.
Chiroto, who is also MDC-T Harare North district chairperson, was among 12 MDC-T councillors axed by the party last week over graft charges. Almost all the expelled councillors have vowed to disregard the order, saying proper disciplinary procedures had not been followed.
An emotionally-charged Chiroto on Monday told Hatcliffe North residents he would continue to serve the MDC-T, vowing he could not be easily ousted considering the many personal sacrifices he made since the party’s formation.
“I could have died in 2008 and my wife was killed in this struggle. I will not accept anyone to come and do what he or she wants. I will put up a fight. I lost property fighting Zanu PF and for someone from a senior position to put pressure on me, I will not take it lightly,” he said.
Chiroto’s wife was abducted together with their child by suspected Zanu PF activists and later found dead while the child was dumped at a Harare police station.
“What goes away so easily is water and electricity and not Chiroto. I can’t be removed just like a pair of socks. The MDC has been hijacked by people who do not want the Prime Minister to rule this country and I don’t know if he knows that,” Chiroto said.
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Chiroto accused a senior party official (name withheld) of orchestrating his expulsion.
“If the MDC wants to rule this country, the heavyweights should go and fight their fellow Zanu PF heavyweights in rural areas and prove that they are powerful. (The official) should go to Hwedza and contest there. I am told s/he is moving around showing people the probe report that I have not seen personally. I am told parties are being held every week to celebrate that Chiroto is gone. I am still here and I am still your chairman,” the Harare deputy mayor said.
Efforts to contact the official for comment were fruitless since Monday as the official’s mobile went unanswered.
While Chiroto and the official were fighting in Harare, fired Gweru mayor Tedious Chimombe was locked in a similar mud-slinging match with Local Government deputy minister Sesel Zvidzai.