'Quit or be expelled from the party,' MDC-T tells mayor

The Movement for Democratic Change led by former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has ordered Gweru mayor Hamutendi Kombayi to resign his mayoral seat and remain as an ordinary councillor, failure of which he would be expelled from the party.

The MDC-T said it reached a decision to expel Kombayi after he and other councillors defied a directive to second the party's preferred candidate for the mayoral post Charles Chikozho.

The expulsion was suspended on condition that Kombayi resign from the mayoral post by the end of December.

"That being the case, I hereby give you notice that you must forthwith resign as mayor of the City of Gweru and remain an ordinary councillor, which resignation must take place before December 31," part of the letter signed by MDC-T secretary-general Tendai Biti dated December 12 2013, reads.

The party further ordered Kombayi to write a resignation letter to the town clerk before December 31, otherwise the decision of the party's national council to expel him would be implemented.

Kombayi faced two charges of defying a lawful party directive and position by voting against the party's candidate in the council elections held on September 16.

Kombayi and four other councillors were suspended for misconduct in October pending disciplinary hearings on the matter. Kombayi was not in the mayoral chambers yesterday and also not available on his mobile phone.