News / National
Chamisa regains Gwanda
07 Sep 2020 at 06:36hrs | Views
MDC Alliance has regained control of Gwanda Town Council after four councillors out of the six who attended a meeting organised by the Thokozani Khupe's MDCT faction have pledged loyalty to their party leader, Nelson Chamisa.
Gwanda's six councillors attended a meeting a fortnight ago addressed by MDC-T national spokesperson Khalipani Phugeni where they allegedly declared their support for Khupe, according to the MDC-T.
But last week, mayor Jaston Mazhale came out guns blazing, accusing Phugeni of lying that he had declared his support to Khupe.
After Mazhale's outburst, three more councillors out of the remaining five also came out to declare their support for Chamisa.
In a statement released by Matabeleland South MDC Alliance secretary Sitha Mulowa, the party said councillors Nappy Moyo, Njabulo Siziba and Mkhululi Tshuma and the mayor were backing Chamisa out of the six who attended Khupe's meeting.
"We had a meeting with our councillors and Gwanda central leadership today," Mulowa said.
"The councillors explained that they were called for a meeting by MDC-T leadership which they attended and were addressed by Phugeni.
"The four said they did not accept the request made to them by the MDC-T. Mayor Mazhale, Moyo, Siziba and Tshuma said they backed Chamisa as their president," part of the statement read.
Mulowa said they were still waiting to hear from two other councillors who did not attend the MDC Alliance meeting before taking action.
The councillors, Mulowa said, had told MDC Alliance secretary-general Chalton Hwende that they regretted attending the meeting.
"The other two councillors were not present, Maphala and Dube. We are waiting for their explanations.
"However the other four councillors named above said their president is Adv Nelson Chamisa and are apologising to the party members and the electorate for being clumsy in attending the meeting," read the statement in part.
Hwende said the MDC Alliance was not going to sanction the Gwanda councillors, but would instead support them in doing their work so that council delivered services to the people.
"Our party is not about power or flexing muscles, we remain committed to service delivery, changing the lives of our people for the better and finding lasting solutions for the people of Zimbabwe," Hwende said.
Gwanda's six councillors attended a meeting a fortnight ago addressed by MDC-T national spokesperson Khalipani Phugeni where they allegedly declared their support for Khupe, according to the MDC-T.
But last week, mayor Jaston Mazhale came out guns blazing, accusing Phugeni of lying that he had declared his support to Khupe.
After Mazhale's outburst, three more councillors out of the remaining five also came out to declare their support for Chamisa.
In a statement released by Matabeleland South MDC Alliance secretary Sitha Mulowa, the party said councillors Nappy Moyo, Njabulo Siziba and Mkhululi Tshuma and the mayor were backing Chamisa out of the six who attended Khupe's meeting.
"We had a meeting with our councillors and Gwanda central leadership today," Mulowa said.
"The councillors explained that they were called for a meeting by MDC-T leadership which they attended and were addressed by Phugeni.
"The four said they did not accept the request made to them by the MDC-T. Mayor Mazhale, Moyo, Siziba and Tshuma said they backed Chamisa as their president," part of the statement read.
Mulowa said they were still waiting to hear from two other councillors who did not attend the MDC Alliance meeting before taking action.
The councillors, Mulowa said, had told MDC Alliance secretary-general Chalton Hwende that they regretted attending the meeting.
"The other two councillors were not present, Maphala and Dube. We are waiting for their explanations.
"However the other four councillors named above said their president is Adv Nelson Chamisa and are apologising to the party members and the electorate for being clumsy in attending the meeting," read the statement in part.
Hwende said the MDC Alliance was not going to sanction the Gwanda councillors, but would instead support them in doing their work so that council delivered services to the people.
"Our party is not about power or flexing muscles, we remain committed to service delivery, changing the lives of our people for the better and finding lasting solutions for the people of Zimbabwe," Hwende said.
Source - newsday
