SIXTEEN MDC Alliance councillors who were recalled last month at the behest of the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC have approached the High Court challenging the decision.
Among the
councillors from Harare and Marondera, respectively, are Enock Mupamaonde, Size
Vilela, Wonder Siliya, Chengetai Murova, Misheck Manyere, Charles Ngwena,
Lovemore Makuwerere, Gilbert Hadebe, Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi, Simon Mapunzure,
Charles Chidhagu, Keith Charumbira, Stephen Dhliwayo, Barnabas Ndira, and
Runyowa Chihoma.
They have cited MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora,
Khupe, chairperson Morgen Komichi, MDC and Local Government minister July Moyo
as respondents seeking to have their recalls declared null and void. In an affidavit
deposed on behalf of
the councillors, Mupamaonde said they were nominated by the MDC Alliance to contest for council seats in Harare and
Marondera and won the election.
The court heard on September 11 that the councillors were
served with a letter from Moyo indicating that their positions had become
vacant.
Moyo is said to have relied on a letter from Khupe which
purported that the councillors had been recalled before he directed town clerks to inform the Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission of the vacancies which had arisen.
“My co-applicants and I had neither received any
correspondence nor advice from any person that we had been expelled from any
political party.
“We were never allowed to exercise our right to be heard.
“We only learnt of our purported expulsions through the declaration of vacancies,”
Mupamaonde said.
Mupamaonde added that Moyo should not have interfered with
political battles between the MDC and MDC Alliance since he had dealt with them
for over two years as councillors.
“Having dealt with us for two-and-a-half years as MDC
Alliance, he (Moyo) was stopped and barred from treating us any differently or giving us a new label or
name without due process,” he added.
“I contend that he could not have descended into a
political arena and made a judgment on a clearly contested matter.
His decision and finding that we belong to the MDC-T was a
quasi-judicial decision which he is not qualified to make.”
The court is yet to set a date for hearing of the case. Daily
News
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