MDC-T suspends MP over violence

MDC-T MP for Hurungwe West Severino Tall Chambati has been suspended by his party following intra-party violence which left several  members injured in Zvipani district in Mashonaland West last weekend.

Chambati who is the chairperson of MDC Zvipani district was suspended and barred from doing any political activities in his constituency on behalf of the party until investigations into the matter are concluded.

The decision to suspend Chambati was passed by MDC Mashonaland West Province during the provincial executive committee meeting held in Chinhoyi last week.

Japhet Karemba, chairperson of the MDC Mashonaland West Province confirmed the suspension.

"We have suspended him for inciting public violence in breach of the party's code of conduct. He is suspended from conducting any political activity in the constituency. We are going to inform the national executive of the decision we have reached as a committee on Chambati," said Karemba.

Karemba said they were waiting for Nelson Chamisa, the party's National Organising Secretary to visit the province this weekend to investigate the incidences of political violence in Hurungwe West Constituency.
Chambati said he was not surprised by the decision taken by the province as it was their intention to politically unseat him.

"I was not at the meeting and I have not been given the chance to explain myself on what happened last weekend. But I did not cause any violence in my constituency, it is all fabrication.

This is part of the political problems we are facing in our province," Chambati told the Daily News on Sunday.

MDC supporters clashed in Hurungwe West Constituency last week resulting in several members getting injured in the ensuing mayhem.

There were ugly scenes particularly in Zvipani district between members aligned to provincial organising secretary Wilson Makanyaire and Chambati.

Chambati accuses Makanyaire of seeking to elbow him out of the race to represent the party in the forthcoming general elections likely to be  held next year.

MDC spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora told the Daily News on Sunday that his party has since deployed a team to investigate the fracas.

The district has of late become a political hotbed with violent clashes between supporters of the MDC.

In the run-up to the party's national elective congress held in Bulawayo last year, supporters of rival factions clashed in what the activists termed the Zvipani Declaration in which they drew up a list of their preferred candidates to national executive posts.