Chamisa's 11 councillors defect to Mwonzora's MDC-T

AT least 11 Gweru Urban and four Vungu Rural District MDC Alliance councillors have defected to the MDC-T party led by Douglas Mwonzora, Southern Eye reported.

The councillors who left the Nelson Chamisa-led political party on Thursday attended a meeting held at Town House chaired by MDC-T secretary for local government, Faith Musarurwa Kamutsungira.

Councillors who dumped MDC Alliance at Gweru City Council are Notal Dzika (ward 8), Charles Chikozho (ward 10), Trust Chinese (ward 15), Catherine Mhondiwa (ward 13), Tawanda Magidi (ward 16), Doubt Ncube (ward 3), Farai Muza (ward 17), Godfrey Giwa (ward 6), Gideon Mugariri (ward 7), John Manyundwa (ward 18) and Edson Kurebgaseka (ward 9).

There are 18 councillors at the local authority and reports indicate that the seven who did not attend apologised for not making it to the meeting.

The four Vungu councillors who have jumped ship are Benjamin Mpala (ward 7), Spiwe Moyo (ward 8), Nyika Parirenyatwa (ward 16) and Restart Muswere (ward 10) and were part of the MDC-T indaba.

MDC-T spokesperson Witness Dube yesterday confirmed the defections, but said the councillors were always part of the political party.

"MDC-T is the parent party to MDC Alliance and not vice-versa," Dube said.

"The councillors who came were always members of the MDC-T first before they were erroneously said to have joined another issue (sic)."

MDC Alliance Midlands spokesperson Takavafira Zhou last week said those "who wanted to leave were free to go as MDC Alliance was never short of candidates".

Recently, Chamisa said MPs and councillors were defecting from his party due to poverty.