MDC-T chair rages at ‘disgraceful’ rebel councillors

via MDC-T chair rages at ‘disgraceful’ rebel councillors | SW Radio Africa by Tichaona Sibanda 22 October 2013

Four rebel MDC-T councillors in Mutare on Monday produced yet another shock move when they voted for ZANU PF councillors to chair the powerful committee portfolios.

The councillors, Farai Bhiza, Pamela Mutare, Richard Mupfura and Mayor Tatenda Nhamarare were suspended by the MDC-T last month for colluding to vote for a deputy mayor of the city from ZANU PF.

Their actions on Monday to openly elect ZANU PF committee chairpersons for departments ahead of their preferred party councillors has reignited calls for the party to expel them forthwith for bringing the party into disrepute.

Julius Magarangoma, the MDC-T provincial chairman for Manicaland said he’s determined to push for the expulsion of the four councillors from the party.

Following the elections in July, the MDC-T won 13 council seats to ZANU PF’s six. However, in recent weeks, the rebel MDC-T councillors have boosted ZANU PF numbers to ten, a scenario which helped the ruling party win the portfolio chairs for Finance, Audit and General Purpose.

The rebel councillors, with help from ZANU PF votes captured the Public Works (Mupfura), Procurement (Bhiza) and Environment (Mutare) portfolios. The three were not the preferred party candidates.

Magarangoma told SW Radio Africa’s weekly program Speak Out Padare that there is no institution that can survive without discipline, adding that ZANU PF’s Minister Ignatius Chombo can “have them” if he wants.

“If Chombo wants them he can have them. I have no problem with the council or standing committee’s move to expel them if it is a matter of indiscipline. If a member misbehaves, the party’s top leadership should take action,” he said.

Magarangoma said each political party has well laid out rules and regulations, which members are expected to adhere to irrespective of their divergent views.

Minister Chombo recently said he would block attempts by the MDC-T to fire its councillors who have been defying party orders to vote for ZANU PF mayoral candidates in last month’s mayoral elections.

“The sooner they’re out of the MDC-T the better because they can pretend to represent the party when they openly defy instructions. They were compromised when they accepted money and stands to sellout against the party,” Magarangoma said.

He added: “Their problem is that they cannot go against ZANU PF now because they got paid do what they are doing now. So they’re in a corner and the best for them is to join ZANU PF and leave us to reorganize our structures.”