Former Victoria Falls deputy mayor and member of the MDC-T has written a strongly worded resignation letter to the party leadership over voting with Zanu-PF to amend the constitution gifting President Emmerson Mnangagwa with unfettered power.
Eleven MDC-T senators voted with 54 Zanu-PF members to pass the Constitutional Amendment (No.2) Bill Tuesday, which now goes to President Mnangagwa for his assent.
The bill opposed by 10 opposition senators, required a two thirds majority- or 54 votes to pass through the Senate
In a letter addressed to the party’s secretary general, and copied to the Matabeleland North provincial office in Hwange, Norris Nyathi, said as a result of that ‘deception’, he resigns as a member of the MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora.
Nyathi served as Victoria Falls deputy mayor from 2013 to 2018.
In the letter dated 4 May 2021, Nyathi said his resignation was with immediate effect.
“I write this letter to inform you that I am no longer a member of this party. My resignation is inspired by numerous factors, that is, failure to protect the citizens of Zimbabwe.”
Norris Nyathi, former deputy mayor of Victoria Falls.
Nyathi said he was mostly offended by the opposition party voting with the ruling party.
“I consider it gross misconduct by our MPs, Senators including the presidium to give Zanu-PF the needed two third majority in order to pass the repressive Amendment Bill 2.”
“This is a direct provocation to the electorate who are the custodians of the constitution which you have amended without going through a consultative process. Your soft tone to the injustices perpetrated against the people of this nation leaves a lot to be desired.”
In an interview with CITE, Nyathi said what the MDC-T did in Parliament was a setback to the country.
“I believe we are democratic party, practicing democracy in totality but a lot has been happening in the party that has been ignored by the leadership. We thought the party would reform but no reformation has taken place,” he said.
The former deputy mayor said what provoked him to resign was that instead of MDC-T opposing the amendment bill, voted for it.
“How can the party support a repressive amendment, a setback to what we as Zimbabweans crafted in 2013. I would have expected the party to come together and oppose that in Parliament but unfortunately that did not happen, as we believe the MPs and Senators were whipped,” Nyathi lamented.
Contacted for comment, MDC-T spokesperson, Witness Dube, said all party correspondences come through the Secretary General, and had no such letter in their possession.
“He should address the letter to the structure he is in, that is, branch, ward, district or province. I will not respond to that letter because it is improperly before my office, it has to be handled by relevant organs at the member’s level of activity in the party,” he said.
In the resignation letter Nyathi said: “I know what is right and what is wrong because I was trained and mentored here.”
The former MDC-T member also accused the opposition party of also marginalising the Matabeleland region.
“Secretary General, as I indicated that I am from Matabeleland North, I also feel the party has nothing to do with this region as reflected in your list of the Standing Committee members,” he said. “Your composition of top leadership does not reflect inclusiveness or nationalism, you continue to sideline the people of Matabeleland from powerful positions like any other party headquartered in Harare.”
He also claimed the MDC-T’s elective Extra Ordinary Congress held last year in December 27, was fraudulently carried out as people who voted were not in the party’s structures.
“I want to also speak to the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment, it is a fact that part of the December 27 congress delegates were not the proper structures as at February 2018. This whole process was carried out to consolidate power and control of Morgan Tsvangirai House,” Nyathi said.
“In the spirit of democracy and integrity the party was supposed to bring together all party members who were in the structures before the death of President Morgan Tsvangirai (MHSRIP) including those you regarded as your enemies. Your exclusion of other members was illegal, undemocratic and selfish.”
