The MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora early this month reversed the recall of Victoria Falls Ward 8 Councillor Joseph Dzangai who it had mistakenly taken for a loyalist of CCC president Nelson Chamisa.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had to cancel the by-election called to replace Dzangai. ZEC Chief Elections Officer Utloile Silaigwana wrote Friday:
This notice serves to advise the public that the Election Notice published by the Commission on 20 October 2022 on the occurrence of a vacancy in Ward 8 of Victoria Falls Municipality is hereby withdrawn.
This withdrawal follows a letter dated 3 November 2022 by the Town Clerk of Victoria Falls Municipality advising the Commission that the MDC-T had erroneously recalled the incumbent Councillor.
In October, Mwonzora issued recalls on MDC Alliance councillors in Binga, Gweru and Victoria Falls accusing them of being loyal to Chamisa.
MDC-T spokesperson Witness Dube on Friday told ZimLive that Councillor Dzangai “had been erroneously recalled because processes to determine his membership had not been completed”. He added:
The party has profusely apologised to him. Membership to the party is subject to our party constitution, and if he is expelled from the party because of violating his membership, he has to be recalled.
Put simply, our party constitution Article 5 provides for the expulsion of any member who ‘joins or supports’ another party while holding on to the party membership.
Party organs have to determine whether he has ‘joined’ or is ‘supported’ by another party.