Gweru mayor seeks Tsvangirai intervention

Gweru mayor, Hamutendi Kombayi, has sought audience with Movement for Democratic Change (MDC–T) leader Morgan Tsvangirai, pleading with him to use his powers to reverse a decision made by the party’s national executive council to recall him from his position.Kombayi, son to the city’s first black mayor, the late Patrick Kombayi, was recalled as Gweru mayor by the MDC-T after he was found guilty of defying the party’s directive.
He had been directed by the MDC-T not to stand for the mayoral position in order to make way for trade unionist, Charles Chikozho, who had been nominated for the post by the party.

A defiant Kombayi went on to claim the position, triggering a standoff with the party.
In a letter signed by the MDC-T secretary general, Tendai Biti, Kombayi was given up to December 31, 2013 to relinquish his position and revert back to being an ordinary councillor or risk being expelled from the party.

Kombayi is still to resign from the post claiming he was still to be furnished with the letter.
He has since been given more time to act on the letter.

On Monday, Kombayi sought audience with the MDC-T leader but the meeting is said to have drawn blanks.
Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, confirmed he had indeed met the MDC–T president to plead with him to remain at the helm of Gweru.
“I can confirm that president Tsvangirai met the Gweru mayor, Hamutendi Kombayi where they discussed the issue of his recalling but what I can tell you is that the decision made by the party’s national executive committee to recall Kombayi still stands because the committee is the supreme decision-making body outside congress and therefore is bigger than Mr Tsvangirai.

“As a party, we therefore expect Mr Kombayi to abide by the party position and processes,” he said.
Efforts to get comment from Kombayi on his next move were futile as he was not picking up his phone.

Sources within the MDC–T say the party was divided over the manner in which Kombayi was treated with his sympathisers saying he was unfairly treated.
The MDC-T has since taken action against other party members who defied its orders.

Mutare mayor, Tatenda Nhamarare along with nine councillors from Victoria Falls, Redcliff and Kwekwe have since been expelled from the party after they were found guilty of voting and siding with ZANU-PF candidates in the mayoral elections. —Own Correspondent.