News / Local
Chamisa's MDC says it's no longer in charge of urban councils
13 Sep 2021 at 19:42hrs | Views
THE MDC Alliance has admitted the opposition party, once in charge of all urban local councils, was no longer in control of the municipalities following the controversial recalling of most of its councillors by the MDC-T.
More than 200 MDC Alliance elected councillors and MPs have been recalled since last year when a contentious Supreme Court judgment ruled in favour of the MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora.
The MDC Alliance is led by Nelson Chamisa.
In a recent interview with NewZimbabwe.com, MDC Alliance Local Government Sesel Zvidzai secretary accused its rival the MDC-T and Zanu-PF of conniving to eliminate its elected officials.
"The MDC-T and Zanu-PF have been conniving to remove MDC Alliance councillors in many local authorities where the officials were elected on our party ticket in 2018," he said.
"In Harare and Bulawayo, the recalls have depleted the numbers of councillors to the extent that the councils are largely dysfunctional."
The former Gweru mayor, Gweru Urban MP and Local Government deputy minister during the now-defunct inclusive government, Zvidzai said the remaining councillors were also being intimidated and threatened with further recalls by the MDC-T.
The threats according to the top MDC Alliance official had forced the councillors still in office to reluctantly support Mwonzora.
"The remaining councillors have unfortunately been so cowed down that in fear of being recalled, they now belong and report to Mwonzora. Mwonzora and company are just but flies on the wall," said Zvidzai.
"The key player in the dysfunctionality of local authorities is Zanu-PF and its insatiable appetite for central control, corruption, and usurpation of mandates given by the people."
Zvidzai also accused the government of creating illegal provincial development coordinators (PDC) whom he said were scuttling the smooth running of local authorities in the country.
"The strangulation of revenue streams, imposition of provincial development coordinators who are busy fighting legitimately elected councillors have affected service delivery.
"Despite these shenanigans by Zanu-PF and its surrogate, we will take back our control in 2023 and deliver better service to the people," vowed Zvidzai.
More than 200 MDC Alliance elected councillors and MPs have been recalled since last year when a contentious Supreme Court judgment ruled in favour of the MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora.
The MDC Alliance is led by Nelson Chamisa.
In a recent interview with NewZimbabwe.com, MDC Alliance Local Government Sesel Zvidzai secretary accused its rival the MDC-T and Zanu-PF of conniving to eliminate its elected officials.
"The MDC-T and Zanu-PF have been conniving to remove MDC Alliance councillors in many local authorities where the officials were elected on our party ticket in 2018," he said.
"In Harare and Bulawayo, the recalls have depleted the numbers of councillors to the extent that the councils are largely dysfunctional."
The former Gweru mayor, Gweru Urban MP and Local Government deputy minister during the now-defunct inclusive government, Zvidzai said the remaining councillors were also being intimidated and threatened with further recalls by the MDC-T.
The threats according to the top MDC Alliance official had forced the councillors still in office to reluctantly support Mwonzora.
"The remaining councillors have unfortunately been so cowed down that in fear of being recalled, they now belong and report to Mwonzora. Mwonzora and company are just but flies on the wall," said Zvidzai.
"The key player in the dysfunctionality of local authorities is Zanu-PF and its insatiable appetite for central control, corruption, and usurpation of mandates given by the people."
Zvidzai also accused the government of creating illegal provincial development coordinators (PDC) whom he said were scuttling the smooth running of local authorities in the country.
"The strangulation of revenue streams, imposition of provincial development coordinators who are busy fighting legitimately elected councillors have affected service delivery.
"Despite these shenanigans by Zanu-PF and its surrogate, we will take back our control in 2023 and deliver better service to the people," vowed Zvidzai.
Source - newzimbabwe
