adminon July 31 as the double candidates would divide the vote.
Sources told The Herald on Tuesday that efforts to persuade the other councillors to withdraw their candidature failed. This forced the MDC-T to file an urgent chamber application in the High Court seeking an order stopping the councillors from representing the party.
The councillors that have refused to step down for preferred candidates are Boniface Manyonganise, Matthew Nyirenda, Brighton Kanyama, Wendy Chiriri, Muchaneta Zemura, David Rukweza and Tichaona Munhunebvi. They won the primaries, but the MDC-T leadership want them to step down.
High Court judge Justice David Mangota dismissed the application last Friday with costs after ruling that the application should have been lodged with the Electoral Court.
The Herald is in possession of a letter written by one of the disgruntled councillors, Mr B Chitumba, dated July 11, 2013.
The letter reads: “Your attention is drawn to the above-mentioned issue. I appeal that the decision taken by the deputy national chairman, Mr (Morgan) Komichi, is not consistent with the MDC-T’s guiding principles. I am a sitting councillor who won the primaries, but I am being forced to step down for a losing candidate because she cried for three days at Harvest House and she is their connection.”
Mr Chitumba claimed that he defeated Mrs Grace Chekecheke whom he said is a first time voter and does not qualify to represent the MDC-T if rules were to be followed.
“I attended parliamentary reform committee meetings with you in 1999 together with Mrs (Priscilla) Misihairabwi-Mushonga, Dr Masipula Sithole, Trudy Stevenson . . . if you recall.
We motivated you that let us form the party after (President) Mugabe had said Tsvangirai should form a party and leave the ZCTU,” he said.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr Tsvangirai’s spokesperson were fruitless. Mr Chitumba was also unavailable for a comment.
Online Reporter