Expelled Mutare mayor appeals to MDC-T

By Mthulisi Mathuthu

The MDC-T has confirmed that it will be hearing an appeal by the Mutare Mayor Tatenda Nhambarare and three other councillors all of whom were expelled from the party for ‘disobedience’ last year.

Nhambarare and his colleagues Pamela Mutare, Richard Mupfura and Farai Bhiza are challenging the party’s decision to fire them on charges of disregarding the party directives during the mayoral elections last year.

According to a Wednesday NewsDay report the quartet are claiming in their appeal that they were victims of factionalism within the MDC-T and are accusing the party of misdirecting itself when it fired them.

National party spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora, confirmed the impending hearing to SW Radio Africa Wednesday.

Mwonzora said the case will be heard before an Appeals Tribunal, chaired by Advocate Eric Matinenga, on January 20th and a decision is expected by the end of the month.

Nhambarare and his colleagues were fired last month from the party for misconduct during the council elections which were held last October. They were accused of ‘colluding and conspiring’ with certain ZANU PF councilors to defy a party directive to elect Thomas Nyamupanedengu as mayor and Kudakwashe Chisango as deputy mayor.

It is the MDC-T’s contention that Nhambarare became the mayor through the assistance of ZANU PF councilors.

Nhambarare was further accused of placing an advert in the press in which he congratulated President Robert Mugabe for ‘resoundingly winning the harmonized election.’

This was against the MDC-T’s official position which is that the July 31st elections were largely unfair in favor of Mugabe’s ZANU PF party and were also rigged.

According to the NewsDay report, Nhembarare continues to be a divisive figure within the MDC-T with some senior members being accused of joining his victory celebration party even after he was expelled from the party. SW Radio Africa