Mzila Ndlovu fired, petition against Prof Ncube

Tinomuda Chakanyuka Sunday News Reporter
PROFESSOR Welshman Ncube’s MDC yesterday turned into a circus when disgruntled party members filed a petition calling for their president to step down, while the party’s national executive wielded the axe on secretary-general Mr Moses Mzila Ndlovu. Mr Mzila Ndlovu, largely suspected to have been leading overtures to oust Prof Ncube, was fired after the party’s standing committee passed a vote of no-confidence on him.

In a statement, MDC spokesperson Mr Kurauone Chihwayi said Mr Mzila Ndlovu had been dismissed for failing to perform “virtually all the functions of his office”.

“The acting secretary-general has failed to completely, efficiently and effectively conduct party affairs and generally failed to measure up to the demands of his office which has included complete dereliction of duty,” read part of the statement.

Mr Chihwayi also revealed that some members of the party’s national executive committee had been referred to the national disciplinary committee for “engaging in nefarious activities contrary to the party constitution, calculated to undermine the interests of the party”.

Party insiders claimed that Mr Mzila Ndlovu’s ouster was a move by Prof Ncube to deal with senior party members who were angling for his removal. Yesterday party members aligned to Mr Mzila Ndlovu filed a two-and-half page petition calling on Prof Ncube to leave office, a move sources said was a response to the secretary-general’s ouster.

Sunday News has a copy of the petition signed by 63 party members. The discontent members accused Prof Ncube of being responsible for the party’s waning support base. They accused their leader of being arrogant, impervious to advice from fellow party members and imposing candidates during elections.

“We believe that through your leadership style, you are directly and indirectly responsible for most of the problems the party is currently facing in view of all these flaws, it is our conviction that you have dismally failed to lead the MDC party. We take this important decision to ask you to step down from the presidency of the MDC party and allow someone else to lead us,” the petition reads in part.

Mr Chihwayi claimed neither the party nor Prof Ncube had received the petition. He said even if Prof Ncube was to get the petition, “he had no reason to rush stepping down” but would wait for the party’s elective congress later this year for his fate to be determined by party members through voting.