MDC-Alliance has been thrown into further turmoil after the
recent ruling by the High Court to nullify the election of Bulawayo deputy
mayor, Tinashe Kambarami as a councillor.
On Thursday High Court judge, Justice Thompson Mabhikwa
ruled that the election of Kambarami as Ward 3 councillor was in violation of
section 119 (2) (e) of the Electoral Act following his conviction of theft.
Kambarami was in July last year convicted of theft by Bulawayo provincial
magistrate, Ms Sharon Rosemani.
He was fined $80 or 18 days in prison for stealing an
extension cord from an electrician he had hired to work at his offices. Justice
Mabhikwa said Kambarami’s failure to notify his party and Zec was in itself an
act of dishonesty and an illegality, which rendered his subsequent election a
nullity.
The ruling followed an application by 1893 Mthwakazi
Restoration Movement Trust, through its lawyer Mr Godfrey Nyoni of Moyo and
Nyoni Legal Practitioners seeking an order nullifying Mr Kambarami’s election
as councillor for Ward 3 and the city’s deputy Mayor.
However, the ruling has thrown the MDC-Alliance into mayhem
with party insiders revealing there was already bickering on who among the crop
of councillors would replace Mr Kambarami as deputy mayor. The sources revealed
that while, Ward One councillor, Mlandu Ncube — who had gone head to head with
Mr Kambarami for the position in September last year — was the initial front-
runner, Ward 17 councillor, Sikhululekile Moyo was emerging as a possible
challenger for the position.
“Clr Moyo is now a favourite and is the preferred candidate
for the party’s vice-president, Professor Welshman Ncube who is trying to be
the kingmaker in the province. Further, Adv Chamisa is desperate to bring
sanity in the province hence he is bound to listen to Prof Ncube and eventually
order councillors to endorse Clr Moyo,” said a source.
Contacted for comment, Clr Moyo said while she was not
aware that she was now one of the front runners to replace Mr Kambarami, she
was ready to serve the city in any position.
“I am just arriving in the city as I was away in Gweru
hence I am not privy with what is the latest pertaining the position but it
will definitely be a huge honour for me if I am elected as the first woman
deputy mayor in the city.
“I am obviously willing and ready to serve as the city’s
deputy mayor, I will wait for guidance from my party and if they see it fit to
elevate me to the position I will gladly accept,” said Clr Moyo.
Efforts to get a comment from Clr Ncube were fruitless,
however, he is on record declaring that he would eventually be the city’s
deputy mayor after he had been initially seconded to the position during a
caucus vote but was eventually beaten to the position by Mr Kambarami.
Contacted for comment the party’s provincial chairperson,
Alderman James Sithole referred this reporter to the provincial spokesperson,
Mr Swithern Chirowodza who he said had the official party position relating to
the matter.
In a statement, Mr Chirowodza was defiant saying as a party
they still regarded Mr Kambarami as the city’s deputy mayor.
“We are appealing to the Supreme Court . . .” Sunday News
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