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MDC-T councils corrupt, admits Chamisa
15 Mar 2018 at 02:24hrs | Views
MDC-T leader Mr Nelson Chamisa has admitted that corruption is rife in MDC-T led councils saying that he wants the aspiring candidates to have impeccable integrity and not to engage in graft. Addressing aspiring MDC-T youth councillors and legislators Mr Chamisa said he did not want to have a repeat of what he has seen in councils.
"I told you when president (MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai) left me in charge I said one thing we are not going to tolerate is corruption. If you are feeling thirsty and want to steal to enrich yourself and you have a habit of stealing do not contest for these positions," he said.
"If you want to attain the position so that you can steal you are not the correct candidate. The leaders that we want are those who are clean and do not engage in corrupt activities and you should have a clean heart and a good record."
He said councils require people with integrity, honesty and inbuilt accountability. Mr Chamisa said he was also worried with the culture of violence tearing the opposition party apart.
Nine people, including Bulawayo deputy mayor Gift Banda and two other councillors, were recently arrested in connection with violence that rocked MDC-T provincial offices, which left more than 15 people injured.
The violent skirmishes that lasted over two hours broke out as party supporters clashed along factional lines. MDC-T has been divided along factional lines, pitting party deputy president Dr Thokozani Khupe and president Mr Chamisa.
"It is not our culture (violence). MDC is populated with doves and peace ambassadors.
"That is why we have been attacked in the past, but none of you has resorted to arms of war. We only interact with violence as victims and never as perpetrators that is what we know," he said.
"We do not want a gathering of MDC to be violent. In MDC we celebrate osmosis of ideas. Let ideas move from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration in a democratic discourse not for a person to interact with stones when you differ with them."
He said his party will not tolerate violence each time people lose debates.
"I told you when president (MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai) left me in charge I said one thing we are not going to tolerate is corruption. If you are feeling thirsty and want to steal to enrich yourself and you have a habit of stealing do not contest for these positions," he said.
"If you want to attain the position so that you can steal you are not the correct candidate. The leaders that we want are those who are clean and do not engage in corrupt activities and you should have a clean heart and a good record."
He said councils require people with integrity, honesty and inbuilt accountability. Mr Chamisa said he was also worried with the culture of violence tearing the opposition party apart.
Nine people, including Bulawayo deputy mayor Gift Banda and two other councillors, were recently arrested in connection with violence that rocked MDC-T provincial offices, which left more than 15 people injured.
The violent skirmishes that lasted over two hours broke out as party supporters clashed along factional lines. MDC-T has been divided along factional lines, pitting party deputy president Dr Thokozani Khupe and president Mr Chamisa.
"It is not our culture (violence). MDC is populated with doves and peace ambassadors.
"That is why we have been attacked in the past, but none of you has resorted to arms of war. We only interact with violence as victims and never as perpetrators that is what we know," he said.
"We do not want a gathering of MDC to be violent. In MDC we celebrate osmosis of ideas. Let ideas move from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration in a democratic discourse not for a person to interact with stones when you differ with them."
He said his party will not tolerate violence each time people lose debates.
Source - zimpapers
