Paul Nyathi

MDC-T National Chairman Morgan Komichi has revealed that the party is planning to recall about 38 more legislators from Parliament, as well as hundreds of councillors across the country.

Komichi confirmed the mooted bloodbath to the Daily News yesterday, saying the party’s standing committee had resolved on Wednesday to sack all legislators and councillors opposed to Khupe’s leadership.

Among the bigwigs who could be jettisoned as soon as from next week, in this latest party carnage, are MDC Alliance vice president Lynette Karenyi-Kore and the coalition’s firebrand deputy national chairperson Job “Wiwa” Sikhala who have remained loyal to Nelson Chamisa.

Komichi told the Daily News yesterday that the party’s interim leadership had resolved at its meeting on Wednesday to fire all legislators and hundreds of councillors across the country who are opposed to Khupe’s group.

He said the move was informed by the desire of the interim leadership to “realign the party and focus it on the needs of Zimbabweans”.

“We have reached a point where we are saying we cannot continue with members who have chosen to be stubborn.

“There is no way you can be Zanu PF and be MDC-T at the same time, and any party that is serious is bound to take action. So, the letters will be written to Parliament soon.

“It would not be strategic to tell the media the exact recall date,” Komichi told the Daily News.

“The affected MPs have chosen not to align with the MDC-T, the major party in the MDC Alliance. They are siding with Chamisa and the national standing committee resolved that we have to take action,” he added.

Khupe’s spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni also told the Daily News yesterday that the MDC’s standing committee had resolved that all elected officials — including legislators and councillors — who had ceased to be members of the party should be recalled forthwith.

“The general position taken by the party is that all those who have since ceased to be our members will be recalled. But this is going to be done on a case by case basis.

“It is all dependent on the individual actions of MPs and councillors,” he said.

Besides Karenyi-Kore and Sikhala, other prominent legislators targeted for the chop include Joana Mamombe (Harare West), Caston Matewu (Marondera Central), Ethrage Kureva (Epworth), Starman Chamisa (Mbare), Costa Machingauta (Budiriro), Eric Murai (Highfield East) and Brian Dube (Gweru Urban).

The MDC-T has so far recalled 21 legislators out of a total of 110 party representatives in both the national assembly and the senate — as well as dozens of councillors around the country.

All this also comes as Khupe and Chamisa are reputedly considering to sit down and talk over their differences.

Professor of world politics at the London School of Oriental and African Studies Stephen Chan said this week that the MDC fights were benefiting Zanu PF immensely.

“The various factions of the MDC are doing the work of Zanu PF and … the ruling party can barely hide its delight that the once formidable opposition is now splintered into two feuding half-parties, neither of whom would be strong enough to win an election.

— DailyNews