Kimberly Kusauka
Movement for Democratic Change-T (MDC-T) led by Douglas Mwonzora has denied having plans to recall Gweru City Mayor Josiah Makombe after rumours made rounds on social media that they were planning to recall him.
MDC-T Secretary for Information and Publicity Witness Dube said they can only talk about recalls after they have been officially done.
“We can only talk about recalls that have been effected. What I can tell you is that the party assists its public representatives in fulfilling their mandate to the best of their ability,” said Dube.
He however went on to say the party had a duty to recall incompetent leaders and when such a development is done, the information is made public not rumours on social media.
“Where the party has to discipline its represantatives to keep them in line it does so. However, some public represantatives so deviate to an extent that recalling them becomes the only option available for the party.
“Tsvangirai once recalled an entire council of Chitungwiza because of corruption and this has always been the number one reason why our party would consider recalling any councillor. Should our party be left with recalling as the only corrective measure on any councillor, such councillors will be communicated to and their names published in a party statement,” said Dube.
When contacted for comment Makombe said he does not have anything to say and directed all questions to the MDC-T President.
“I do not have anything to say, you can ask those who recall,” said Makombe.
MDC-T recalled a number of councillors from Masvingo, Mutare and Chipinge and many other local authorities from 2020 and 2021.
Mwonzora has used the recalling as a tool to fix all the party members who are alleged to be aligned to their rival MDC-Alliance and its leader Nelson Chamisa.
The recalls have prompted majority of the by-elections that are likely to be conducted during the first quarter of 2022 while some critics have labelled them as the major reason behind inefficiency in some local authorities in and around the country.
