Staff Correspondent|Highly placed sources within the MDC Alliance have told ZimEye.com that the winning councillors in Gwanda town went against the directives of the party national office in the election of the Deputy Mayor of the new council.

According to the sources, the councillors could soon be joining the list of defiant councillors that will be purged by the party for standing against the resolutions of the party.

The sources who hold senior positions within the party in Matabeleland South, told ZimEye.com that the head office in Harare directed that the party elects the only female councillor Happy Moyo as the Deputy Mayor but the councillors would not have any of that and elected returning councillor Phumulo Mapala.

“It was emphasised to the councillors that for purposes of gender balance and Empowerment they should elect Councillor Moyo as the Deputy Mayor but for their own selfish reasons that boil down to discrimination against women, the councillors went on to elect Mapala,” said the party officials who claimed they have not yet been authorised to speak to the media on the matter as the party is still investigating the issue.

Councillor Mapala was elected unopposed in the election as none of the MDC Alliance councillors nominated Moyo as directed. Justine Mazhale was elected as the Mayor of the town beating ZANU PF candidate Knowledge Ndhlovu by six voters to four.

Gwanda joins the growing list of MDC dominated councils that defied the party directives on the elections. Masvingo, Bulawayo and Chegutu councillors are already in trouble with the party for choosing into office candidates that were not recommended by the party.