Upenyu Chaota
MASVINGO – Masvingo urban councillors from the Morgan Tsvangirai-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) have come under fire from their district disciplinary council on allegations of dining and wining with their Zanu-PF counterparts forgetting to deliver on party principles.
MDC-T has six out of ten councillors at the civic centre and have all been suspended from party activities while investigations are being done on charges of misconduct and tarnishing the party’s image.
The minutes from the district management meeting convened on June 9, 2016 say the six councillors have failed to represent the party values since their election and their incapability has seen Zanu-PF councillors dominating and influencing council policy.
“MDC-T has the majority of councillors at the civic centre but they do not seem to influence any policies and our members are being victimised in their presence. Our councillors have been dragged into Zanu-PF dishonesty and that has to stop.
“They have connived to become land barons. They have allocated themselves commercial stands and have failed to come up with a solution to the labour dispute,” reads the minutes.
“The councillors are the face of the party and if this is happening then the image of the party is being tarnished. Leader Bonface Mazarire was fired without any justified cause and our councillors did not do anything.
“MDC-T councillors are under investigation by the district executive disciplinary committee being led by David Charirwe. The face of President Morgan Tsvangirai at the civic centre is represented by the councillors and if they do otherwise, we are recalling them all and let the commission rule to save the party in the next election.”
The minutes also indicate that the party has since written to Ward 4 councillor Godfrey Kurauone informing him of his suspension from the district youth assembly where he held the post of Secretary for Policy and Research.
“Godfrey Kurauone has already been advised not to participate in party activities due to his proven link to Tendai Biti’s party. If he interferes with the investigation, he will be suspended and recalled,” part of the minutes read.
MDC-T Masvingo provincial chairperson James Gumbi said he has not been briefed of the resolutions by the district but confirmed that the district has the power to suspend and recommend to the province.
“The district has the power to deal with all the branches below it. If the district disciplinary committee has proven beyond reasonable doubt that our councillors are going astray, they can suspend them from party activities then recommend to the province.
“The province will then recommend to the national. I am yet to get the resolutions but if that is what they have decided on, then it stands,” said Gumbi.news,politics
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