News / National
MDC-T fires newly elected mayor
20 Sep 2013 at 02:45hrs | Views
THE MDC-T Manicaland provincial executive has resolved to fire four of its Mutare councillors - including the newly elected mayor - whom they accused of teaming up and caucusing with Zanu-PF councillors to go against the party's preferred candidates in Monday's mayoral elections.
Despite winning 13 of the 19 seats in the city, the MDC-T's nominated candidates - Thomas Nyamupanedengu (mayor) and Kudakwashe Chisango (deputy) - lost the election after the four accused councillors allegedly crossed the floor and joined hands with Zanu-PF's six councillors to elect Ward 8 councillor, Tatenda Nhamarare as the mayor, while Zanu-PF's Ward 15 councillor Cde Collin Mukwada was elected deputy mayor.
The result angered the provincial executive, which on Wednesday held an ad-hoc meeting at the party's Darlington office where it resolved that the defiant councillors be fired.
In an interview soon after the meeting, provincial spokesperson, Mr Pishai Muchauraya said the decision to fire the councillors - Tatenda Nhamarare, Richard Mupfura, Pamela Mutare and Farai Bhiza - followed strong recommendations from the party's supporters in Mutare to recall them.
"The party's supporters are recommending that the four councillors be recalled from council and expelled from the party. The reasons are that nine of the councillors who voted in line with the party's directive testified that the four received $2 000 each as bribes from Zanu-PF and were further promised to get some residential and commercial stands when they get into office. This is what the nine have said against their colleagues," he said.
When asked to explain how the party knew that the four voted against it when the elections were conducted by secret ballot, Mr Muchauraya said: "Before the elections, they tried to persuade the other councillors to their side saying they will be paid. Even during the voting process they showed their ballots to their Zanu-PF colleagues. We will follow internal party processes, but obviously we are worried that these people have actually betrayed the vote and confidence of the MDC-T supporters in Mutare who voted them into power. People now know that these councillors are no longer representing their interests in council."
Mayor-elect, Clr Nhamarare hit back saying Mr Muchauraya and company had no mandate to fire anyone.
"Pishai haadzingi munhu muparty. We did not receive any bribes and I don't know where they got what they are saying, yet the voting was done through secret ballot. I was voted to be the mayor and I don't know who voted for me," he said.
The mayoral election has intensified in-fighting within the MDC-T structures in Manicaland, pitting the alleged Mr Tendai Biti-led faction on one hand and the Mr Morgan Tsvangirai faction on the other.
The provincial executive which has openly showed its support for Mr Biti was agitated by the election of Clr Nhamarare who is alleged to be in the other camp with former Dangamvura/Chikanga legislator, Mr Giles Mutsekwa.
The fight has spilled onto the social network with the newly elected Dangamura/Chikanga Member of the National Assembly, Mr Arnold Tsunga, who has the support of the Mr Julius Magarangoma-led provincial executive calling for an investigation into the mayoral election.
He posted on Facebook on Monday soon after the elections saying: "The high level of co-operation between six Zanu- PF councillors and four known MDC councillors in Mutare which resulted in Tatenda Nhamarare (one of the four MDC councillors) being elected mayor and a Zanu-PF councillor Mukwada, the deputy raises more questions than answers. On a normal day, the MDC-sponsored candidates Nyamupanedengu and Chisango should have won the mayor and deputy mayor positions respectively by 13 to six as the MDC has that majority. Instead, a minority of MDC joined a Zanu-PF minority to produce a majority of 10-9 for both mayor and deputy mayor resulting in wild celebrations by Zanu-PF. (first)…Why did the four MDC councillors abandon their nine colleagues to join six Zanu-PF councillors for the mayor's election? (secondly)…Why did the same four MDC councillors abandon their nine colleagues to join six Zanu- PF councillors for the deputy mayor's election? (thirdly)… Had they planned for this? If so where? How deep is the relationship between these four MDC councillors and Zanu-PF? (Fourthly)… What is it in common between these four "MDC" councillors and Zanu-PF? Was anyone paid to fix the results in favour of Zanu-PF? These are not the only questions but we have a problem here."
During Monday's elections, Clr Nhamarare polled 10 votes against Clr Nyamupanedengu who had nine votes to land the mayoral post, while Clr Mukwada won with the same margin.
Soon after the elections, MDC-T supporters who had thronged the Civic Centre to witness the event walked out frustrated.
They shouted obscenities at Clr Nhamarare saying he had sold them out.
Manicaland Provincial Administrator, Mr Fungai Mbetsa, who witnessed the swearing-in ceremony and the elections congratulated Clrs Nhamarare and Mukwada for winning the posts and said their duty was to ensure efficient service delivery in the city.
"You must work well and ensure progress in the city. The community expects better results especially in areas such as water provision, pothole filling and sewerage upgrading. You should ensure housing for all within the city," he said.
He urged management to work well with the elected leaders.
"We will be watching you from a provincial perspective and we are always available if you need help," he said.
Despite winning 13 of the 19 seats in the city, the MDC-T's nominated candidates - Thomas Nyamupanedengu (mayor) and Kudakwashe Chisango (deputy) - lost the election after the four accused councillors allegedly crossed the floor and joined hands with Zanu-PF's six councillors to elect Ward 8 councillor, Tatenda Nhamarare as the mayor, while Zanu-PF's Ward 15 councillor Cde Collin Mukwada was elected deputy mayor.
The result angered the provincial executive, which on Wednesday held an ad-hoc meeting at the party's Darlington office where it resolved that the defiant councillors be fired.
In an interview soon after the meeting, provincial spokesperson, Mr Pishai Muchauraya said the decision to fire the councillors - Tatenda Nhamarare, Richard Mupfura, Pamela Mutare and Farai Bhiza - followed strong recommendations from the party's supporters in Mutare to recall them.
"The party's supporters are recommending that the four councillors be recalled from council and expelled from the party. The reasons are that nine of the councillors who voted in line with the party's directive testified that the four received $2 000 each as bribes from Zanu-PF and were further promised to get some residential and commercial stands when they get into office. This is what the nine have said against their colleagues," he said.
When asked to explain how the party knew that the four voted against it when the elections were conducted by secret ballot, Mr Muchauraya said: "Before the elections, they tried to persuade the other councillors to their side saying they will be paid. Even during the voting process they showed their ballots to their Zanu-PF colleagues. We will follow internal party processes, but obviously we are worried that these people have actually betrayed the vote and confidence of the MDC-T supporters in Mutare who voted them into power. People now know that these councillors are no longer representing their interests in council."
Mayor-elect, Clr Nhamarare hit back saying Mr Muchauraya and company had no mandate to fire anyone.
"Pishai haadzingi munhu muparty. We did not receive any bribes and I don't know where they got what they are saying, yet the voting was done through secret ballot. I was voted to be the mayor and I don't know who voted for me," he said.
The mayoral election has intensified in-fighting within the MDC-T structures in Manicaland, pitting the alleged Mr Tendai Biti-led faction on one hand and the Mr Morgan Tsvangirai faction on the other.
The provincial executive which has openly showed its support for Mr Biti was agitated by the election of Clr Nhamarare who is alleged to be in the other camp with former Dangamvura/Chikanga legislator, Mr Giles Mutsekwa.
The fight has spilled onto the social network with the newly elected Dangamura/Chikanga Member of the National Assembly, Mr Arnold Tsunga, who has the support of the Mr Julius Magarangoma-led provincial executive calling for an investigation into the mayoral election.
He posted on Facebook on Monday soon after the elections saying: "The high level of co-operation between six Zanu- PF councillors and four known MDC councillors in Mutare which resulted in Tatenda Nhamarare (one of the four MDC councillors) being elected mayor and a Zanu-PF councillor Mukwada, the deputy raises more questions than answers. On a normal day, the MDC-sponsored candidates Nyamupanedengu and Chisango should have won the mayor and deputy mayor positions respectively by 13 to six as the MDC has that majority. Instead, a minority of MDC joined a Zanu-PF minority to produce a majority of 10-9 for both mayor and deputy mayor resulting in wild celebrations by Zanu-PF. (first)…Why did the four MDC councillors abandon their nine colleagues to join six Zanu-PF councillors for the mayor's election? (secondly)…Why did the same four MDC councillors abandon their nine colleagues to join six Zanu- PF councillors for the deputy mayor's election? (thirdly)… Had they planned for this? If so where? How deep is the relationship between these four MDC councillors and Zanu-PF? (Fourthly)… What is it in common between these four "MDC" councillors and Zanu-PF? Was anyone paid to fix the results in favour of Zanu-PF? These are not the only questions but we have a problem here."
During Monday's elections, Clr Nhamarare polled 10 votes against Clr Nyamupanedengu who had nine votes to land the mayoral post, while Clr Mukwada won with the same margin.
Soon after the elections, MDC-T supporters who had thronged the Civic Centre to witness the event walked out frustrated.
They shouted obscenities at Clr Nhamarare saying he had sold them out.
Manicaland Provincial Administrator, Mr Fungai Mbetsa, who witnessed the swearing-in ceremony and the elections congratulated Clrs Nhamarare and Mukwada for winning the posts and said their duty was to ensure efficient service delivery in the city.
"You must work well and ensure progress in the city. The community expects better results especially in areas such as water provision, pothole filling and sewerage upgrading. You should ensure housing for all within the city," he said.
He urged management to work well with the elected leaders.
"We will be watching you from a provincial perspective and we are always available if you need help," he said.
Source - Manicapost
