THE MDC-T has officially expelled all members who filed their papers at the Nomination Court to stand as independent candidates for parliamentary and local government posts.
Report by Blondie Ndebele
Scores of people countrywide filed applications to stand as independent candidates after either losing in the primary elections or being barred from contesting.
The party’s provincial organising secretary Albert Mhlanga said they had held a meeting on Saturday to officially revoke the rebels’ membership of the MDC-T.
Mhlanga said all the party members were expected to behave according to the party’s constitution.
“We met and agreed to officially excuse all those who submitted their applications as independent candidates,” he said.
“We have also expelled all those who sympathise with them and all their election agents.”
Mhlanga said the rebels were no longer considered as party members.
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“They had already dismissed themselves and were just formalising the process,” he said. “Whatever they will be doing from now is not for MDC-T. They are not our members anymore.”
Mhlanga said they expelled about five people including the Magwegwe and Mpopoma legislators Felix Mafa Sibanda and Samuel Sandla Khumalo and councillors Phineas Ndlovu and Prince Dube.
The provincial organising secretary said they had pleaded with the rebels to withdraw their papers as this had the danger of confusing the electorate in the upcoming elections.
He said those who chose to stand as independent candidates should not use the party name and materials for their campaigns.
However, Sibanda said he had not been called for a hearing and considered himself a member of the MDC-T.
“I have not been called for a hearing. Therefore, I am still a member of the MDC-T,” he said. “As it is, I am now campaigning for Morgan Tsvangirai and I have my reasons why I had to stand as an independent.”
Sibanda said the provincial leadership had no right to chase them away from the party and they were still waiting for a meeting with Tsvangirai to state their reasons why they had to file their papers as independent candidates.
