THE Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance suffered another body
blow last week after the MDC-T recalled six of its councillors in Harare,
including mayor Herbert Gomba.
MDC-T acting secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora on August
14 wrote to Local Government minister July Moyo recalling Gomba and five other
councillors from the City of Harare.
“We hereby notify your office that the following
councillors have ceased to belong to the MDC-T which is a member of the MDC
Alliance which was formed in terms of the constitutive agreement, a copy of
which is attached hereto,” part of Mwonzora’s letter dated August 14, 2020,
read.
“In terms of the agreement, seven political parties entered
into a pre-election agreement known as the composite political agreement for
purposes of contesting the 2018 elections.”
The other recalled councillors are Hammy Madzingira, Kudzai
Kadzombe, Gaudencia Matere, Costa Mande and Happymore Gotora.
Four other MDC Alliance councillors were fired last month
bringing the number to 10. These include Denford Ngadziore, Grisot Mandere,
Jaison Kautsa and Tonderai Chakeredza.
The MDC Alliance had 45 councillors in Harare but the March
Supreme Court ruling that nullified the appointment of Chamisa as MDC-T
vice-president in 2016 by the late Morgan Tsvangirai has caused headaches over
who controls elected officials.
The Supreme Court judgment gave Khupe control of the party
in an acting capacity for four months awaiting the holding of an extraordinary
congress.
Khupe has threatened to axe more councillors in what she
said was a fight against corruption although observers accuse her of working
with Zanu PF to decimate Chamisa.
MDC Alliance secretary for presidential affairs Jameson
Timba warned Moyo against entertaining the order to recall the councillors
saying it was tantamount to corruption.
“The Supreme Court judgment which they purportedly derive
their authority from in respect of the extension of their term office by a
period of four months expired on July 31. Mwonzora and his cabal are not
legitimate office bearers of the court-resurrected 2014 structures,” Timba said.
“They are, therefore, not in a position to recall anyone.
They cannot recall councillors from a party which they contested against in
2018 and were defeated. I know that there has been a lot of unlawful conduct
and lawlessness in Zimbabwe. Any entertainment of unlawful correspondence by
the Minister of Local Government will be an act of corruption,” Timba added.
Moyo was not immediately available for comment but he
recently fired the four Harare councillors on the basis of a letter from the
MDC-T,Twenty one of Chamisa’s MPs have been recalled while the youthful leader
has also lost the party headquarters to Khupe. Newsday
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