By Paul Nyathi|MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has held talks with elected party councillors who opted to vote for Mayors and Deputy Mayors who were not prescribed by the party.

On Tuesday, he met councillors from Victoria Falls where the party preferred mayoral candidate councillor Margaret Varley was replaced by Somvelo Dlamini and on Thursday he met Bulawayo councillors where councillor Tinashe Kambarami was voted in instead of Malandu Ncube as directed by the party.

Chamisa’s spokesperson Dr Nkululeko Sibanda confirmed the meetings indicating that Chamisa or his representatives would be meeting more councillors next week.

Dr Sibanda said that it was only proper for Chamisa to dialogue with the councillors if they don’t toe the party line.

“The president will necessarily whip all councillors that don’t follow party directions and if there are those who have done that they will be whipped, yes. He has the right to do that. They have to follow the party’s instructions as required by the party’s constitution. The smooth running of the councils is very important.

“The long and short of it, just as the case in any political party, any representative sent by the party to represent it in Government must be willing to implement the party’s policies. All councillors are being told and all councillors know that they have to follow the party’s policies because that is what the people voted for.

“The council (meetings) agenda is about the 100 day plan. He was also whipping the councillors as he should just to make sure that they are following the party’s priorities. The electorate will be questioning the party when things don’t go right. There is nothing out of the ordinary. He will be meeting councillors from everywhere next week. He was meeting councillors from Bulawayo today (Wednesday).”

Chamisa has held similar meetings with councillors from Masvingo and Chegutu who were also charged for defying the party directives on the mayoral candidates.