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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

THE MDC Alliance has once again expelled Victoria Falls Mayor, Councillor Somvelo Dlamini on allegations of violating party rules and undermining protocol.

The party’s secretary general Mr Charlton Hwende wrote to Clr Dlamini a letter dated February 24, 2020, advising him about the decision of the party’s national council to terminate his membership and remove him as a councillor in Victoria Falls.

It is the third time the Nelson Chamisa-led party has fired Clr Dlamini after expelling him from the party twice in 2018 before re-instating him for allegedly defying his superiors’ decision for him not to stand for election as Victoria Falls mayor to pave way for a candidate of their choice Cllr Margaret Valley of Ward 1.

The letter which was copied to the party’s provincial chairperson and Victoria Falls Municipality read in part: “Termination of your MDC membership, violation of party obligations and instructions. This letter serves to inform you and confirm the termination by the national council of your membership of the party with immediate effect as per the resolution of the national council on 23rd November 2018. 

“Your expulsion is in terms of article 5.11(a) of the Movement for Democratic Change constitution as read with the unanimous national council resolution of 23rd November 2018. 

“Consequently, the party is immediately invoking the provisions of Section 278 (1) of the Zimbabwe Constitution as read with Section 129 of the same to have you removed from the position of councillor of the Victoria Falls Municipality.”

Contacted for comment, Clr Dlamini confirmed that he was aware of the letter but said he was yet to receive it.

The party’s national spokesperson Mr Daniel Molokele confirmed the letter but referred questions to “top leadership.”

“Yes, it’s true that the party issued a statement through the office of the secretary general but the best person to talk to is Elias Mudzuri who is in charge of local government,” he said.

The party accuses Clr Dlamini of refusing the resign from his position as Victoria Falls mayor after a contentious election in 2018 where residents had threatened to disrupt proceedings if the MDC Alliance dominated councillors elected Clr Varley.

By so doing the party alleges that Clr Dlamini defied the party directives when he stood as a candidate for mayor where he beat Clr Varley by eight votes to three.

Clr Dlamini allegedly violated the party’s disciplinary code of conduct and section 2 and subsection 2.1 of the constitution as explained by the party leadership then.

The case had been pending in the party with the resolution made on November 23, 2018, and only released yesterday.

The other 10 Victoria Falls councillors last night convened an extra-ordinary council meeting at the municipal boardroom and passed a vote of no confidence in Clr Dlamini, a party source said yesterday.— @ncubeleon