(Last Updated on December 15, 2021 by zimdaily)
HARARE – The Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T party has refused to release the minutes of its national council meeting held on November 26, 2021, where leaders reportedly resolved to recall their vice-president Thokozani Khupe from Parliament.
In a joint urgent application filed at the Bulawayo High Court on Monday, Khupe, Gweru mayor Josiah Makombe, and Chitungwiza mayor Lovemore Maiko claimed they were being targeted for allegedly sympathising with Zanu PF and MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa. In her founding affidavit, Khupe argued that the MDC-T had withheld the national council and its resolutions from her, adding that the party intended to clandestinely recall her from the National Assembly.
But in response to her court application made by her lawyer, Nqobani Sithole of Ncube Attorneys, MDC-T secretary-general Paurina Mpariwa said the party could not furnish the applicant with the minutes of the November 26 meeting as they contained some confidential information.
In the letter dated December 13, 2021, Mpariwa said the party could only avail the resolutions of the meeting that were compiled at the end of the meeting.
“Unfortunately, we are unable to furnish you with minutes of the national council meeting of November 26, 2021. First, these minutes are not yet ready as the officer responsible for compiling them, the chief of staff, Mr Collen Gwiyo, is out of office due to circumstances beyond his control,” she said.
“Second, the minutes will only be usable by anyone, including ourselves, after they have been formally passed as a true record by the national council itself.
“Third, these minutes contain confidential information of the party which goes beyond the issues you have raised. Given our response on whether or not the meeting resolved to recall your client, the minutes are irrelevant to this issue.”
Mpariwa dismissed Khupe’s claims that the national council meeting resolved to recall her from Parliament, claiming that she (Khupe) was a participant in the meeting and she could have challenged the recall if it was discussed during the meeting.
[newsday]