BY LULU BRENDA HARRIS AND ABIGIRL KHUPE
Bulawayo councillors belonging to the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party have been reportedly summoned to the party headquarters in Harare over the fallout between a faction of the councillors led by deputy mayor Tinashe Kambarami and Town Clerk Christopher Dube.
The meeting has been slated for tomorrow (Thursday) at the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House.
MDC National Spokesperson, Daniel Molokele confirmed to CITE that the councillors were called to Harare to resolve the matter where Tinashe Kambarami and a section of councillors allegedly Dube on allegations of mismanagement of council funds, abuse of office and dereliction of duty.
The suspension was however overturned by Bulawayo mayor, Solomon Mguni.
Molokele said the councillors would meet the party’s Secretary for Local Governance, Clifford Hlatshwayo to discuss the matter which has caused commotion in the city, with some residents and political movements accusing the MDC councillors of pushing a tribal agenda.
“The best person with all the information on the meetings is the Secretary for Local Governance, who the councillors will appear before but yes the councillors will be in Harare tomorrow to try and resolve the matter,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Hlatshwayo downplayed the meeting’s agenda, saying it was a routine meeting for MDC and its councillors since it controlled 28 local authorities in Zimbabwe.
“There is nothing sinister or political about the meeting. As you recall we met members of parliament before, then we also met with councillors from Harare and Chitungwiza. Tomorrow it will be a meeting with Bulawayo councillors,” he said.
The party’s Secretary for Local Governance claimed the meeting, would be in line with MDC’s vision on how local authorities could enhance service delivery for people.
“We have been telling this to our MPs, council employees to be confined to this delivery of service agenda and how we can come up with strategies to do so, which is what MDC president Nelson Chamisa also speaks about,” Hlatshwayo said.
Some councillors also confirmed to CITE that they were on their way to Harare for the meeting, whose agenda was yet to be disclosed to them.
