MDC rebels are expelled
 
                                                      By Staff reporter
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Tsvangirai led-faction, has expelled 19 candidates including the faction’s Midlands South provincial Secretary Dr. Patrick Kombayi  for defying party’s directive to withdraw their nomination papers.

Addressing journalists at the Gweru Press Club today, the Midlands South chairman, Sicino Dube said Kombayi was expelled from the MDC for influencing other party members to rebel against the party’s executive and defying the party’s directive to withdraw their candidature in the elections.

Kombayi, who is  the faction’s  Senatorial candidate for the Gweru Chirumanzu constituency  is accused of  sponsoring  some of the “rebel” candidates, will no longer represent the opposition during the March 29 harmonised elections following the expulsion.

Dube said among those candidates who were expelled are nine candidates who are vying for parliamentary seats,  one candidate for the Senatorial seat, and five councillors from  Gweru urban.

Dube said the candidates had a chance to appeal to the executive committee if they wanted to rejoin the party.

“Kombayi is a problem child. He was expelled from school, from ZUM, Zanu PF and everywhere. When he joined MDC he joined it as a good Samaritan assisting the party, but later after settling down, he became a radical, using money for his own personal gains. He bribed MDC supporters in Mberengwa to nominate to be a senatorial candidate, but
we didn’t object,” Dube said.

Contacted for comment soon after the conference, Kombayi said he was not aware of the developments.

“I cannot comment at the moment because they haven’t informed me. I am not even aware that I was expelled form the party.  They are the ones who should comment because they never consulted me,” said Kombayi.

In apparent continued defiance of the national executive directive, one of the expelled candidates Josiah Makombe, who is eyeing the Gweru Urban seat together with Kombayi held a rally at the Ascot Shops in the afternoon.

Some youths at the rally barred journalists from covering the event.

In a telephone interview, Makombe said according to the MDC constitution only congress can expel a member.

“Whatever decision was made by the provincial executive is just wishful thinking. Most members are with me right now, so who made the decision?” queried Makombe.

The Tsvangirai faction’s official candidate for Gweru Urban Rodrick Rutsvara also held a campaign rally in the neighbouring Mtapa Suburb. Over three hundred people
attended the rally.