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(TALKZIMBABWE) MDC-T to 'replace' mayor with white farmer

MDC-T to 'replace' mayor with white farmer
By: Ralph Mutema
Posted: Thursday, July 8, 2010 4:01 am

THE EMBATTLED MDC-T party has summoned its Victoria Falls mayor for hearing at their headquarters in Harare after a vote of no confidence was passed by councillors in the resort town. The party, accused of fielding inexperienced individuals to run for political office, has been dogged by troubles since the last harmonised elections.

Nearly all councils run by the MDC-T have been dogged with allegations of corruption and inexperience. Mayor Nkosilathi Jiyane has been summoned for a hearing at Harvest House tomorrow -- a move observers say, is manifestation of power struggles within the MDC-T.

The MDC-T party, according to sources, wants to replace Mr Jiyane with white commercial farmer and businessman Mr Larry Cummings.

"The party, through its national secretary for local government, Mr (Sessel) Zvidzai, has summoned Mayor Jiyane for a hearing at Harvest House on Friday," a source said.

Mr Zvidzai, who is the Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Deputy Minister, would preside over the hearing.

Last month, MDC-T councillors in Victoria Falls passed a vote of no confidence on Mr Jiyane and his deputy Ms Patricia Mwale -- a move seen as reflective of problems in the party ahead of next year's congress in which party leader Morgan Tsvangirai is expected to step down after serving his mandatory two terms.

The MDC-T is also said to be targetting the mayor for attending State functions officiated by President Mugabe and Zanu-PF ministers.

Yesterday, Mr Zvidzai said: "We have in-house issues with him that we are dealing with accordingly."

He denied that one of their concerns was to do with the mayor’s presence at State functions.

Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo last week said Mayor Jiyane was performing satisfactorily and urged MDC-T to desist from bringing internal party squabbles into public offices.

The ministry has written to the Victoria Falls Municipality advising against fighting the mayor on factional grounds. The ministry says at present there are insufficient grounds to dismiss Mayor Jiyane.

Labels: LARRY CUMMINGS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MDC, MDC CORRUPTION, NKOSILATHI JIYANE, VICTORIA FALLS, WHITE FARMERS

posted by MrK @ 2:12 PM