By A Correspondent | MDC-T leader, Douglas Mwonzora is no longer the party leader, a High Court applicant announced claiming yesterday.

An MDC T official, Mr Amos Kaliati told ZimEye yesterday, Mwonzora should no longer be called party leader. (Audio below).

He also added in a letter dated October 4, 2021 addressed to Polad secretary, Virginia Mabhiza and to the Polad principals. He addressed it to 17 Polad principals, including the MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe, who was ousted by Mwonzora in the December congress.

“I refer to the High Court application made in terms of Rule 59(1) in the matter between Amos Kaliati vs Movement for Democratic Change and others, Case No HC5074/21.

“This is a court application for a determination in terms of section 14 of the High Court Act [Chapter 7:06]. I have petitioned the honourable court to exercise its discretion in terms of [section 14] of the High Court Act [Chapter 7:06]. In particular, I am asking the court to inquire into and determine my existing, future or contingent rights as well as the obligations of the respondents in this matter,” Kaliati said.

In the letter, Kaliati stated that MDC-T party officials’ terms of office had lapsed and they had no legitimacy to deliberate on the possibility of Mwonzora joining Polad.

“The application seeks to determine the validity and the lawfulness of the extraordinary congress that elected senator Douglas Mwonzora as the leader of MDC-T and the legitimacy of other office holders in the MDC-T, especially noting that their terms of office have lapsed. It follows, therefore, that until the High Court determines this matter, Senator Mwonzora lacks legitimacy and authority to join Polad. Kindly, therefore, ignore any correspondence from senator Douglas Mwonzora regarding the above.”

But Mwonzora’s spokesperson Lloyd Damba said Kaliati was no longer part of the MDC party, hence he had no locus standi to take MDC-T members to court over party affairs.

“It is quite unfortunate that some people who have left the party and joined other political outfits for dirty silver coins think that they can distract us from our political programmes,” Damba said.

“However, it will not succeed. The strategy is to destabilise our party which he left when he held the position of district organising secretary to be appointed secretary for mines in another political outfit. The results of the extraordinary congress, which was conducted by an independent electoral management body, still stand and they have not been nullified. Until that changes, then it’s a different ball game altogether.”