adminMidlands Correspondent
NEWLY elected Gweru mayor Councillor Hamutendi Kombayi yesterday said a resolution by MDC-T’s Midlands South provincial executive that he and nine other councillors be fired from the party is not binding. MDC-T structures in the Midlands on Saturday met at the party’ provincial headquarters in Athlone suburb and recommended the expulsion of Clr Kombayi, his deputy, Clr Artwell Matyorauta and eight other councillors for dumping the party’s preferred candidates during last week’s mayoral elections.
In an interview yesterday, Clr Kombayi said the number of party officials who attended the weekend provincial meeting did not constitute a quorum as required by the MDC-T constitution.
He accused Mkoba National Assembly member, Mr Amos Chibaya of convening a “caucus” which then recommended their expulsion from the party.
“Following the announcement by our (MDC-T) Midlands South provincial spokesperson, Mr James Tsuro that the Midlands province has recommended our expulsion from the party, it has since come to our attention that officials who convened and passed the resolution did not constitute a quorum,” said Clr Kombayi.
“This was after some party officials were barred from attending the meeting.”
He said Mr Chibaya, a close ally of Clr Charles Chikozho who lost the mayoral election was behind the resolution.
Clr Chikozho was the MDC-T’s preferred candidate.
“Mr Chibaya is bitter that his ally lost the election and he used his influence as a member of the national executive to call for a caucus meeting which then passed a resolution against us. The whole process was illegitimate,” said Clr Kombayi.
“Mr Chibaya even planted his youths at the party’s provincial headquarters who barred some members of the provincial executive who were believed to be supporting us from entering the meeting (venue). They even threatened to beat up some of the members of the province who wanted for force their way into the meeting.”
He said they were still waiting for the MDC-T national executive to issue a final decision.
“If the national executive decides to go by Mr Chibaya and his group’s decision, we will appeal but I am confident that they will not endorse the decision which was made by a handful of people who are against myself and have their selfish interests,” said Clr Kombayi.
Mr Chibaya declined to comment over the allegations levelled against him yesterday.
“What I can only say is that I did not attend the provincial executive meeting. The best person to answer on who was represent at the meeting is the provincial spokesperson, Mr James Tsuro. He is the one who can confirm whether the people who attended constituted a quorum,” he said.
Mr Tsuro said all the provincial structures endorsed the resolution that Clr Kombayi, his deputy and eight other councillors be fired from the party.
“Mr Kombayi should now direct his energies in campaigning if he wants to stand in his ward as an independent candidate instead of venting his anger through the media. They defied the party position and they were aware that some action against them would be taken. We called all the district chairpersons and they all agreed that these councillors should be fired,” he said.
Some of the Gweru councillors who have been lined up for the axe after they rejected the party’s preferred candidate are Boniface Magara (Ward 18), Nokuthula Mbano (Ward Three), Tawanda Magidi (16), Ernest Guduza (14), Willard Ndaguta (Eight), Farai Muza (17), Albert Chirawu (11) and Moses Marecha Ward Five.
Meanwhile, MDC-T Midlands North provincial chairperson, Mr Costin Muguti said the witch-hunt for MDC-T councillors who voted along side Zanu-PF councillors for Redcliff and Kwekwe mayors was still underway.
Mr Muguti, said the province would also recommend the expulsion of the councillors as soon as they completed their investigations.
Online Reporter