News / National
Corrupt councillors defecting from MDC-T
03 Apr 2013 at 04:45hrs | Views
Defections by disgruntled MDC-T councillors are looming amid indications the officials are unhappy with the manner the party is handling its candidate selection process for the harmonised elections set for this year.
The MDC-T has spared its sitting legislators from primary elections preferring rather to subject them to a two-thirds majority confirmation exercise.
This has reportedly irked the MDC-T councillors who feel the same privilege should have also been extended to them.
The Herald said it is reliably informed that most councillors were set to join other political parties ahead of the polls amid indications the Professor Welshman Ncube-led MDC, Job Sikhala's MDC 99 and Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn have been dangling carrot to the disgruntled officials.
"There is a coalition of councillors in the MDC-T who are contemplating jumping the sinking ship.
"Some have already taken a decision to resign like what was done by four councillors from Chikomba in Mashonaland East province.
"While only a few have resigned, a lot more are set to join other political parties as their political careers appear to have reached a dead end in the MDC-T considering the preferential treatment that is being given to sitting MPs by the party leadership," an MDC-T insider said yesterday.
The situation was not well especially in Chitungwiza where party leader Morgan Tsvangirai unilaterally dismissed 23 councillors accusing them of corruption without following due procedure as stipulated by the MDC-T constitution.
"Massive defections are looming especially in Chitungwiza where dismissed councillors whose political careers were affected by the 2010 unilateral dismissals on charges of corruption hoped to contest sitting MPs in primary elections but are unable to do so now as the party leadership has chosen to protect the sitting MPs by sparing them primary elections," added the source.
Most councillors intended to take part in the upcoming parliamentary elections but their curriculum vitaes were rejected at the district and provincial levels technically ending their political aspirations.
"As politicians, councillors pursue political interest and they go where their future is guaranteed. As we speak, they are making contact with other political parties.
"The message the MDC-T leadership is putting across to the councillors is that some animals are more equal than others," the source said.
The disgruntlements are reportedly not confined to Chitungwiza with indications that councillors in Zvishavane, Bindura, Chinhoyi, Karoi and Marondera were equally frustrated.
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora confirmed that some councillors were leaving the party.
"I am not aware of the impending defections but those who have jumped ship already were running away from some investigations," he said.
Mr Mwonzora would not shed more light on the matter though MDC-T run councils have been riddled with corruption.
The MDC-T has spared its sitting legislators from primary elections preferring rather to subject them to a two-thirds majority confirmation exercise.
This has reportedly irked the MDC-T councillors who feel the same privilege should have also been extended to them.
The Herald said it is reliably informed that most councillors were set to join other political parties ahead of the polls amid indications the Professor Welshman Ncube-led MDC, Job Sikhala's MDC 99 and Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn have been dangling carrot to the disgruntled officials.
"There is a coalition of councillors in the MDC-T who are contemplating jumping the sinking ship.
"Some have already taken a decision to resign like what was done by four councillors from Chikomba in Mashonaland East province.
"While only a few have resigned, a lot more are set to join other political parties as their political careers appear to have reached a dead end in the MDC-T considering the preferential treatment that is being given to sitting MPs by the party leadership," an MDC-T insider said yesterday.
The situation was not well especially in Chitungwiza where party leader Morgan Tsvangirai unilaterally dismissed 23 councillors accusing them of corruption without following due procedure as stipulated by the MDC-T constitution.
"Massive defections are looming especially in Chitungwiza where dismissed councillors whose political careers were affected by the 2010 unilateral dismissals on charges of corruption hoped to contest sitting MPs in primary elections but are unable to do so now as the party leadership has chosen to protect the sitting MPs by sparing them primary elections," added the source.
Most councillors intended to take part in the upcoming parliamentary elections but their curriculum vitaes were rejected at the district and provincial levels technically ending their political aspirations.
"As politicians, councillors pursue political interest and they go where their future is guaranteed. As we speak, they are making contact with other political parties.
"The message the MDC-T leadership is putting across to the councillors is that some animals are more equal than others," the source said.
The disgruntlements are reportedly not confined to Chitungwiza with indications that councillors in Zvishavane, Bindura, Chinhoyi, Karoi and Marondera were equally frustrated.
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora confirmed that some councillors were leaving the party.
"I am not aware of the impending defections but those who have jumped ship already were running away from some investigations," he said.
Mr Mwonzora would not shed more light on the matter though MDC-T run councils have been riddled with corruption.
Source - TH
