Mwonzora recalls 16 more councillors

ZIMBABWE could be faced with yet another by-election after the MDC effected a fresh round of recalls in various councils around the country.

Yesterday the country completed its by-elections to replace 117 local authority and 28 National Assembly seats that fell vacant due to various reasons, chief being the recall of members by the fragmented opposition.

However, it seems more by-elections are on the cards after MDC-T secretary-general Ms Paurina Mpariwa wrote to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo informing him of the recall of 16 provincial council members from eight provinces after they ceased to belong to their party.

The list however, does not include the two metropolitan provinces, Harare and Bulawayo, with sources revealing that the party had to further consult after they realised that they risked the two councils not reaching a quorum as a majority of the councillors seem to be pledging allegiance to the Nelson Chamisa-led Citizens' Coalition for Change.

"We hereby notify your office in terms of Section 268 as read with Section 129 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe we hereby declare that the following provincial councillors have ceased to belong to the Movement for Democratic Change, which is a member of the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance.

"Our party was the party to which these councillors belonged at the time of the 2018 elections. I am the current secretary-general and as such my office has the authority to make this correspondence.

The members listed, by operation of clause 5.10a of the constitution of our party, their membership is automatically terminated," reads part of the letter

According to the list of the councillors that have been recalled, in Matabeleland North there are; Clrs Sharon Ndlovu, Caroline Ndlovu, Chiratidzo Mudimba and George Siachuma, in Matabeleland South; Clrs Learny Ndlovu, Mtsabo Jerow Habvane and Gugu Ncube and in Midlands Clrs Fransisco Masendere and Lucia Madzivire were recalled.

In Masvingo province the party recalled Clr Sarah Mwatenga, in Mashonaland Central, Clrs Sekai Dhokotera and Petro Tonderai Samhu were recalled.

Other recalled councillors are Clrs Constance Chihota and Taurayi Pasirayi from Mashonaland East and Clrs Edeline Chivimbiso and Macdonald Homora from Mashonaland West.

Sources said in Harare and Bulawayo, the party's two provincial executives had submitted names for members that had since ceased partaking in party business but these were then parked for further consultations.

"The party fears that if they go ahead and recall the list as submitted by the provincial executives they risk throwing the local authorities into a deadlock as they won't be constituting a quorum, this thereby meaning council business cannot continue.

"The provincial executives were thus instructed to review their submitted names, consulting with party members because not everyone can just be recalled.

However, the provinces are also insisting on the names because all those submitted have either openly declared to be members of CCC or have not partook in party business of late," said the party source.

In the just ended by-elections, Matabeleland region has 20 vacant local authority seats and four National Assembly seats.

Bulawayo has nine vacant council seats, Matabeleland North had five and Matabeleland South has six. Bulawayo's seats fell vacant following the recall of eight councillors and the death of Ronnah Mudara, all from the MDC-T party while in Matabeleland North two councillors were recalled in Victoria Falls and three Zanu-PF councillors died.

In Matabeleland South, the MDC-T recalled three councillors while three Zanu-PF councillors died.