(Last Updated on September 16, 2020 by Editor)
HARARE – Thokozani Khuphe and her MDC-T party have continued their recall crusade of MDC-Alliance elected officials, this time targeting eleven Harare Councillors, three from the Beitbridge and one from Gwanda Council.
In letters dated 11 September 2020, Local Government Minister, July Moyo wrote to the various City Council Town Clerks informing that he had received letters from the MDC-T with directives that some councillors had been expelled from the party.
The members of the Harare Council affected by this latest purge are Lovemore Makuwerere(Ward 24), Gilbert Hadebe (Ward 39), Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi (Ward 19), Simon Mapanzure (Ward 34), Charles Chidhagu (Ward 30), Keith Charumbira (Ward 8), Steven Dhliwayo (Ward 40), Barnabas Ndira (Ward 21), Ruhoma Chihom (Ward 29), Charles Nyatsure (Ward 6) and Deputy Mayor Enoch Mupamawonde (Ward 35).
Recently, MDC-T has recalled ten councillors including former Mayor, Hebert Gomba in their failed bid to steal the Mayoral position. Twenty-one seats in Harare City Council which were part of the 45 won by MDC-Alliance members are now vacant.
In Bulawayo and Marondera a further 8 and 5 councillors have been recalled respectively.
In Beitbridge, the 3 affected councillors in a 15 member council are Morgan Ncube (Ward 4), Granger Nyoni (Ward 5) and Angeline Tore (Ward 6).
Gwanda Council suffered one casualty this time with Mayor Jastone Mazhale (Ward 7) being recalled.
Khuphe and Mwonzora are using the ruling made in March this year by the Supreme Court declaring Khuphe the rightful interim leader of MDC-T.
They have used this ruling to recall MDC-Alliance legislators countrywide including MPs and Senators despite that Khuphe had contested in the 2018 elections leading the MDC-T which was registered as a separate party from the MDC-Alliance.
MDC-Alliance Spokeswoman, Fadzai Mahere has condemned these recalls as political theft and also an unnecessary cost burden to the voters because taxpayers money will be used to fund the by-elections which according to ZEC will need a budget of around US$18 million.
“There can be no doubt that the recalls instigated by Zanu-PF and their proxies are unlawful and unconstitutional. We will fight this blatant electoral theft politically and use every tool available to us to ensure the will of the people is respected.”
According to ZEC the by-elections will be held before December 15 this year.