MDC-T in quandary over mayors

MDC-T leaders who were reportedly banking on a strong performance by urban councils that they control to win votes in the 2018 harmonised elections have been left in a quandary as Government is insisting that according to the new Constitution, mayors should be chosen among elected councillors.

Party officials yesterday said MDC-T should have ensured that quality councillors stood for the party in this year's harmonised elections.

"The party counted on a strong performance that would have seen major improvements in service delivery, to win back the votes that they lost this year. That is why we wanted to select learned people as mayors so that they could lead councils in improving service delivery in cities, especially Bulawayo and Harare," said the official.

A senior MDC-T official said the party was in a catch 22 situation because it lacked people with calibre to lead the cities among its elected councillors.

"We are in a dilemma because the leadership does not think any of the councillors is mayoral material. Even Mr Tsvangirai (Morgan) himself is convinced that we do not have the right calibre among our elected councillors hence he selected people from outside councils.

"The whole thing is turning into a farce because if we put the wrong person, it will affect our chances of winning elections in 2018. If we elect people who will fail to deliver, it means the end of the party come the elections.

We have heard that councillors are mobilising to defy the party on the issue of mayors but what they should appreciate is that we should not pursue individuals' interests but serve party interests," said the official.

Former deputy mayor, Mr Amen Mpofu, said the party had nothing to fear as long as the person who would be eventually elected was a team-player.

"In Bulawayo, the mayor will have 28 other councillors and technocrats to help him make decisions. As long as he listens to advice, it does not matter who would be chosen. The mayor does not have to know everything but has to be open to advice and guidance. The person can consult former mayor, Thaba Moyo or the party when there are problems," said Mr Mpofu.

Elected councillors in Bulawayo reacted angrily to claims that the

MDC-T part had failed to find a candidate  with the right calibre among them to be elected mayor.

"It is the people's voice that counts. One person in the party cannot stand up and say thousands of people who voted for us did not know what they were doing. Obviously residents have faith in us. I am angry that senior people want to make us look like an extremely dull lot. That is why we have always maintained that when the time comes for us to vote for a mayor in the council chambers, we will not listen to the party," said one of the councillors.

Contacted for comment, MDC-T national spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora said party detractors wanted to make it seem as MDC-T was in turmoil.

"Our councillors are qualified to run the cities. The issue here is that we did not want to burden someone who is already in charge of a ward with the extra duty of being a mayor. We felt the system would be more efficient if we have someone who is not in charge of ward, coordinating events as mayor," said Mr Mwonzora.

He said the party was challenging Government's decision to bar non councillors from being elected as mayors at the High Court.

The party filed the application on Friday after an initial attempt was thrown out by the Electoral Court.

The Electoral Court ruled that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the matter.