News / National
Sikhala's allegiance confuses Mwonzora
20 Oct 2020 at 06:27hrs | Views
MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has said Job Sikhala's continued presence in Parliament is not a sign the party leadership feared him, but a matter of his unclear allegiance they are still to ascertain.
He made the remarks while addressing journalists in Harare Monday.
Mwonzora was responding to a question on whether his party was being selective in recalling MDC Alliance MPs and councillors since there are some public officials still loyal to MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa who are in office.
Sikhala, who is the Zengeza West MP and MDC Alliance vice-chairperson, is one of the officials who have remained loyal to Chamisa despite some threats by Mwonzora they risked recalls.
"We are not afraid of Mr Sikhala. He does not bite and he is a person who holds certain views, some very strongly and we do respect some of his views," said Mwonzora.
"We do not know, he is yet to tell us the membership of his party, we have not seen the affidavit he signed renouncing the party (MDC-T).
"All members of our party who commit acts of misconduct will be dealt with in a fair manner, they will be afforded the right to be heard but if you leave the party for example by signing the affidavits which were drafted by the MDC Alliance lawyers, they would have expelled themselves.
"Those affidavits specifically stated that these people were no longer members of the MDC-T and if you specifically state that you are no longer a member of the MDC-T, you would have expelled yourself."
Mwonzora has wielded his axe on over 20 MDC Alliance MPs and dozens of councillors he claims signed affidavits renouncing their membership to MDC-T in favour of the Chamisa-led faction.
The whole drama emanates from a March 2020 Supreme Court ruling that nullified Chamisa's presidency and ordered an immediate return to party 2014 structures before an extraordinary congress meant to select late party leader Morgan Tsvangirai's successor.
He made the remarks while addressing journalists in Harare Monday.
Mwonzora was responding to a question on whether his party was being selective in recalling MDC Alliance MPs and councillors since there are some public officials still loyal to MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa who are in office.
Sikhala, who is the Zengeza West MP and MDC Alliance vice-chairperson, is one of the officials who have remained loyal to Chamisa despite some threats by Mwonzora they risked recalls.
"We are not afraid of Mr Sikhala. He does not bite and he is a person who holds certain views, some very strongly and we do respect some of his views," said Mwonzora.
"We do not know, he is yet to tell us the membership of his party, we have not seen the affidavit he signed renouncing the party (MDC-T).
"All members of our party who commit acts of misconduct will be dealt with in a fair manner, they will be afforded the right to be heard but if you leave the party for example by signing the affidavits which were drafted by the MDC Alliance lawyers, they would have expelled themselves.
"Those affidavits specifically stated that these people were no longer members of the MDC-T and if you specifically state that you are no longer a member of the MDC-T, you would have expelled yourself."
Mwonzora has wielded his axe on over 20 MDC Alliance MPs and dozens of councillors he claims signed affidavits renouncing their membership to MDC-T in favour of the Chamisa-led faction.
The whole drama emanates from a March 2020 Supreme Court ruling that nullified Chamisa's presidency and ordered an immediate return to party 2014 structures before an extraordinary congress meant to select late party leader Morgan Tsvangirai's successor.
Source - newsday
