via MDC-T fires its Mutare mayor and 3 councilors | SW Radio Africa by Tichaona Sibanda on Thursday, September 19, 2013
The newly elected MDC-T mayor of Mutare, Tatenda Nhambarare has been fired from the party together with three other party councilors, for ‘conniving’ with ZANU PF in the mayoral elections.
Nhambarare, who was not the MDC-T nominee for the mayor’s post, defied party instructions and worked out a deal with ZANU PF councilors to vote for him as the new mayor. In return, he and the three other MDC-T councilors voted for a ZANU PF deputy mayor.
The other councilors are Farai Bhiza, Richard Mvura and Pamela Mutare.
The MDC-T won 13 council seats in Mutare during the July elections while ZANU PF won six. With the majority of councilors, the MDC-T could have easily have swept both the mayoral and deputy posts.
Party spokesman in Manicaland, Pishai Muchauraya told SW Radio Africa that following three meetings involving the provincial leadership, the councilors and local structures in Mutare it was decided to dismiss the rebellious councilors.
Muchauraya said the party had nominated Thomas Nyamupanedengu and never considered Nhambarare because he does not qualify because of his young age. The new constitution stipulates that a mayoral candidate has to be 40 years and above.
“Nhembarare is 31 years old and so he wouldn’t have qualified and we knew it. But to our surprise he and the other councilors accepted bribes of $2,000 each to manipulate the outcome of the election,” Muchauraya said.
He added: “As a party we have recalled them from council chambers and we have fired them. We are in the process of notifying the town clerk and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission about the action we have taken.”
The instant dismissal of the four councilors, who had to be escorted by the police on Wednesday from the MDC-T provincial office in Mutare following threats from residents, will force by elections in the eastern border city.
“We no longer want them in the MDC-T. The days of inclusivity with ZANU PF are long gone and if they want to stand on a ZANU PF ticket in the by elections, that is their choice. But we will be fielding new candidate no doubt about that,” he said.
Some elected MDC-T councilors in Victoria Falls, KweKwe, Gweru and Mutare went against party decisions and voted contrary to what the party wanted.
The MDC-T has moved fast to act decisively against the councilors and it appears the party has resolved to fire all of them. In Redcliff the party has already recalled its rebellious councilors from office and moved to expel them, according to the newly elected MDC-T legislator for Redcliff, Happymore Chidziva.
In Gweru, Lilian Timveos, the provincial chairperson said her executive will be meeting on Saturday and hinted they will take a very ‘tough stance’ against its councilors.
“We resolved as a party for certain individuals to be elected but they decided to go against that decision and as a result they will pay dearly for that. We need disciplined cadres and not loose cannons who do as they wish,” Timveos said.
COMMENTS
That e best and only way forward. All infiltrators must be booted out even if it means losing those seats. I applaud u for e swift action u have taken
In South Africa , ANC councillors connived and voted for a DA mayor in a town close to Joburg recently.The result was fantastic.ANC recalled all the councillors and it is calling for fresh elections.Teach them a lessen .The people voted for change and they betray the revolution.This is the beginning.More to come.Chuck them out
Democracy!!!!
This is what mugabe, is failing to do since 1980, this why there is too much corruption in zanu pf. He even failed to fire his miss when he discovered that she was having an affair with jm.
Ndizvozvo chaizvo, all these are ZANUs. Bringing the culture yeZANU in the democratic party, no ways. A very clear demonstration of how infiltrators should be treated. Chinja Ndizvo.
Imvi dzaitwa nebere museve pabere. Izvi ndizvo. In MDC- T we need discipline or else yu jump. Mazuva ehondo kumorari vakomana waiti wakanzwa vati pasi nemutengesi! tose taidaira tichiti Pasi! tichitorova pasi. Nhunzvatunzva! pasi. This made people tour the line. Now is the time to instil discipline in a disciplined people’s movement.
I m happy, good decision. Kana tikasara vaviri vane tsika dzinodiwa neMDC zvakana. Mapere anouya akapfeka goats skin, bodo. Maitiro, chinja, maitiro, chinja, Hezvo uko, Bwa nbekoko Bwa
sellouts. these are the c10 who have infiltrated the party.. thank u for expelling them from the party…
What are you people smoking??? Because your insight is blurred by the notion that MDC-T is democratic.
If the party’s name is the “Movement for Democratic CHANGE” then surely democratic change should be demonstrated within the party.
It was a great shock to the international community (and thus loss of support) and MDC-T supporters that the party leadership permitted the party constitution to be changed that allowed a third term for Tsvangirai as party president.
So bad is the hypercritical mindset within the MDC-T party that they jumped in to bed with the enemy and joined the GNU as an ineffectual junior partner. At that time Tsvangirai was advised by the international powers not to join, as there international measures being put in place to force a better outcome, including pressures applied to leaders of SADC and the AU.
But the allure of instant wealth, power and the promise of Mercedes compelled the weak minded within the party to join this GNU. Whilst the privileged few MDC leaders in the GNU filled their wallets (played golf) and drove around in their Mercedes (with the exception of David Cultart), Mugabe/Zanu plotted the MDC’s destruction and what a destruction it has been.
Now MDC-T is trying desperately to close the stable door after the horses have bloted.
Dzawaputa dzakaoma iwe.There is no political Party which accepts contradiction in police, even in Zim if parliament fails to agree with the president on a piece of law the president dissolves parliament or he quits with his cabinet. If the contradiction is with cabinet the president fires the culprits. In electoral democracy a party or individual is voted for its or his/her policies, if the party changes its policies midterm the electorate has the right to recall because its cheating. Case in point Jonathan Moyo, the moronic Professor was elected as on his own policies as an individual but dumped the electorate mid-term and he has just paid for it. Democracy my brother is consideration of other people’s feelings. The people of Mutare voted these idiots into Council on the belief that they were to drive the people’s wishes, remember in the wards they warn their were ZANU candidates also but they lost because those people did not want them. Munongo imba democracy, democracy imi pasina kana one chamunoziva nezvayo.
Putting your house in order is not desparation at all ! Let them go to Zanu pf where bribery is part of their DNA.MaChinja Asijiki!
Well done. MDC is for MDC. No two ways about it. Thanks to the close in the new constitution that allows recalling councillors. They had been a headache in the party.
MDC-T people complained when Welshman Ncube fired his MPS who included Abednigo Bhebhe for political prostitution; when they voted for Lovemore Moyo instead of voting for Paul Themba Nyathi, you called the professor names, now its you, you feel the pain. Shame, what goes around comes around.
There is no pain at all. Actually there is gain bcoz we were swimming with crocodiles which were going to cause more harm. Better vaende!
Firing its not enough just tie a rock on their necks through them into Zambezi river.