Ex-mayor dumps MDC-T over Mwonzora ‘deception’

NORRIS Nyathi, the former Victoria Falls deputy mayor and senior executive in the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T has resigned from the party in protest over its legislators’ voting alongside Zanu PF to amend the national Constitution.

Eleven MDC-T senators on Tuesday voted with 54 Zanu PF members to pass the Constitutional Amendment No 2 Bill, which now awaits President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s assent.

The Bill opposed by 10 opposition senators, required a two-thirds majority — or 54 votes to pass through the Senate

In a letter dated May 4, addressed to the party’s secretary-general and copied to the MDC-T Matabeleland North provincial office in Hwange, Nyathi said as a result of that “deception”, he had decided to sever ties with the opposition party.

Nyathi served as Victoria Falls deputy mayor from 2013 to 2018.

Part of the letter read: “Failure to protect the citizens of Zimbabwe, I consider it gross misconduct by our MPs, senators, including the presidium to give Zanu PF the needed two-thirds majority in order to pass the repressive Constitutional Amendment Bill No 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,” Nyathi wrote.

He also raised concern over the composition of the party’s top leadership, saying it did not reflect inclusivity.

“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. I want to also speak to the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment, it is a fact that part of the 27th December congress delegates were not the proper structures as at February 2018, this whole process was carried out to consolidate power and control of Richard Morgan Tsvangirai House,” he 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.”

Efforts to get a comment from MDC–T spokesperson Witness Dube and his deputy Khalipani Phugeni were fruitless.