Rebel MDC-T councillors to be dismissed from party

By Tichaona Sibanda

A four member MDC-T committee, tasked with investigating party councillors who allegedly voted for ZANU PF mayors in the elections in August this year, has recommended the dismissal of some of the rebellious councillors.

The MDC claims the councilors were bribed by ZANU PF to vote for its candidates. It’s alleged the councillors received cash and residential and commercial stands to betray the party led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

Shepherd Mushonga, a former MDC-T MP for Mazowe Central and the chairman of the disciplinary committee, told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that they handed over their recommendations to the party last month.

Other members of the committee were Women’s Assembly secretary-general Sibusisiwe Bhuda-Masara, Youth Assembly spokesperson Clifford Hlatshwayo and Chitungwiza Senator James Makore.

Mushonga, a Harare based lawyer, confirmed their report contained recommendations that the party fire councillors who instigated and played a leading role, but declined to identify those facing dismissal. The committee was set up to investigate the ‘defiant’ councillors in Victoria Falls, Gweru, Norton, Redcliff and Mutare.

‘I can confirm that after thorough investigations, we came out with recommendations that we forwarded to the party. In some instances we recommended that some councillors be dismissed and some be fined for their role they played in the mayoral elections.

‘But unfortunately I cannot disclose who is on the firing line because the party leadership has to study the recommendations and make their own conclusions before they release the contents,’ Mushonga said.

The party’s standing committee met in Harare on Wednesday where a decision was expected to be taken on the rebels, most of whom were suspended a few days after the elections.

However Nelson Chamisa, the national organizing secretary of the party, said the decision will only be made after the party’s national executive meeting on Thursday.

The MDC-T MP for Mbizo in KweKwe, Settlement Chikwinya, implored the party to act decisively against the rebels.

The legislator said the MDC-T is driven by principles and values and, as an organization brought about by people who despise ZANU PF for its corruption, the councillors should have known better.

‘If you want to be an MDC member you must act different from a ZANU PF member as you must be immune to corruption. Poverty must not drive you to compromise and poverty must not drive you to become a thief, and poverty must not drive you to compromise our values as a party,’ he said.

The MP explained that the MDC-T is a party brought about by poor people which is why their policies are pro-poor, adding that nobody in the MDC-T family should compromise party values to vote ZANU PF in whatever forum. SW Radio Africa