News / National
Bulawayo's 'foreign' mayor confirms resignation
05 Nov 2018 at 05:26hrs | Views
BULAWAYO Deputy Mayor Councillor Tinashe Kambarami yesterday resigned from the post, days after he was ordered by his party, MDC Alliance, to do so. His enforced resignation paves way for fresh polls today amid claims that he may be re-elected.
Cllr Kambarami was on Monday last week given a seven day ultimatum to resign or risk being expelled from the party and be recalled from council.
The MDC ordered him to resign on the basis that he had defied the party's directive that Ward 1 Cllr Mlandu Ncube should be elected as the city's deputy mayor.
In an interview yesterday, Cllr Kambarami confirmed bowing down to the party's demands.
"I am member of the MDC party therefore I subject myself to the guidance of the party's leadership which is why I had to step down," said Cllr Kambarami in a brief interview.
Bulawayo MDC provincial chairperson Mr Gift Banda also confirmed Cllr Kambarami's resignation.
"The party had ordered him to resign and Tinashe tendered his resignation in front of the president (Nelson Chamisa). We had a meeting with the president today in the city," Mr Banda said.
He however downplayed claims that Cllr Kambarami could be re-elected.
"I don't know who told you about that because there are processes that we are going to undertake as a party. I can't confirm about a caucus meeting because we haven't planned for it. I don't want to pre-empt things but as a party we said Kambarami should resign because he was elected unprocedurally according to our party's guidelines," he said.
Following his resignation, MDC Alliance councillors are expected today to elect a new Deputy Mayor. But some in the party are saying that Cllr Kambarami could be re- elected to the same position.
"This is a big farce, we are being played here. Although he resigned, the party would allow him to be re-elected in the same position. He would have the last laugh as the camp that is opposing him is already divided working to his advantage," said a source within the MDC.
The source said Cllr Ncube remains a strong contender to take over the Deputy Mayoral post if his camp unites. During the election of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor in September Cllr Ncube lost to Cllr Kambarami by three votes.
Cllr Kambarami was on Monday last week given a seven day ultimatum to resign or risk being expelled from the party and be recalled from council.
The MDC ordered him to resign on the basis that he had defied the party's directive that Ward 1 Cllr Mlandu Ncube should be elected as the city's deputy mayor.
In an interview yesterday, Cllr Kambarami confirmed bowing down to the party's demands.
"I am member of the MDC party therefore I subject myself to the guidance of the party's leadership which is why I had to step down," said Cllr Kambarami in a brief interview.
Bulawayo MDC provincial chairperson Mr Gift Banda also confirmed Cllr Kambarami's resignation.
"The party had ordered him to resign and Tinashe tendered his resignation in front of the president (Nelson Chamisa). We had a meeting with the president today in the city," Mr Banda said.
He however downplayed claims that Cllr Kambarami could be re-elected.
"I don't know who told you about that because there are processes that we are going to undertake as a party. I can't confirm about a caucus meeting because we haven't planned for it. I don't want to pre-empt things but as a party we said Kambarami should resign because he was elected unprocedurally according to our party's guidelines," he said.
Following his resignation, MDC Alliance councillors are expected today to elect a new Deputy Mayor. But some in the party are saying that Cllr Kambarami could be re- elected to the same position.
"This is a big farce, we are being played here. Although he resigned, the party would allow him to be re-elected in the same position. He would have the last laugh as the camp that is opposing him is already divided working to his advantage," said a source within the MDC.
The source said Cllr Ncube remains a strong contender to take over the Deputy Mayoral post if his camp unites. During the election of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor in September Cllr Ncube lost to Cllr Kambarami by three votes.
Source - chronicle
