MDC-T fires Mutare mayor, 9 councillors through media

Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
MDC-T expelled Mutare mayor Mr Tatenda Nhamharare and nine councillors from the party through the media, it has emerged.
Mr Nhamharare and the councillors in question were fired for ‘indiscipline’ and voting against candidates imposed by the party leadership in the July 31 harmonised elections.

The party’s national council, met last week and resolved to fire Mr Nhemarare, and recall Gweru mayor Mr Hamutendi Kombayi.

Mr Nhamarare yesterday said, “I am hearing this from the media. The party has not communicated that position to me.

“If the party has decided to fire me then I am going to appeal against the decision,” he said.

Party spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora said he knew nothing about that saying, “The appropriate authorities are going to communicate formally with the mayors and councillors.

“The secretary general (Mr Tendai Biti) is going to formally write to the mayors and councillors if he has not already done so. The people of Zimbabwe have the right to know our position,” he said.

The party fired some of its councilors in Victoria Falls and Redcliff on the same allegations of voting for Zanu-PF candidates.

Despite winning 13 of the 19 seats in Mutare, MDC-T’s nominated candidates — Thomas Nyamupanedengu (mayor) and Kudakwashe Chisango (deputy) — lost the election after Clrs Nhamarare, Richard Mupfura, Pamela Mutare and Farai Bhiza allegedly crossed the floor.

They are accused of joining hands with Zanu-PF’s six councillors to elect Ward 8 councillor Mr Nhamarare as the mayor, while Zanu-PF’s Ward 15 councillor Cde Collin Mukwada was elected deputy mayor.

In Redcliff, three MDC-T councillors voted for Zanu-PF candidate Cde Freddy Kapuya for the mayoral post after he received five votes against MDC-T’s Takura Chikwiri’s four in a council in which Zanu-PF has two seats against the MDC-T’s seven.

In Victoria Falls, Zanu-PF’s Cde Sifiso Mpofu won the race for the top post despite the party having three councillors against MDC-T’s seven whose candidate Margaret Valley lost.

In Gweru, Mr Kombayi pipped the MDC-T’s first choice trade unionist Mr Charles Chikozho, to land the mayor’s post.