WASHINGTON DC —
The Movement for Democratic Change formation of former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says it wants its deputy national chairman, Morgen Komichi, to be sworn-in as Midlands senator as soon as possible following his release from prison after being convicted of fraud and contravening Zimbabwe’s electoral laws.
Komichi was last week sentenced to perform 350 hours of community service by magistrate Tendai Mahwe.
Party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora says Komichi should be sworn-in when parliament opens next week.
Mwonzora said the conviction does not stop him from being sworn-in because he is appealing against it.
Sources say Komichi started his community service Monday at a clinic in Harare’s Mabelreign suburb.
In a related development, the MDC formation led by Welshman Ncube on Sunday elected a new leadership for Matabeleland South, filling the chairmanship vacancy that arose following the expulsion of long-serving party cadre, Petros Mukwena.
The new chairman is losing parliamentary candidate, Pilate Ndebele. Sibekithemba Njani was elected to the position of provincial deputy organising secretary while Robert Ndlovu was given the task of secretary for political education and training.
Seeking to contain an increasingly volatile fallout over the issue of party secretary general Priscila Misihairabwi Mushonga that has sharply divided the province and the party at large, the new chairman put out a statement saying all those who have demanded Miss Mushonga’s removal from parliament were not speaking for the province.
A number of high profile party politicians in Matabeleland South want Mushonga removed from parliament after she was controversially picked to represent the province under proportional representation even though she is not resident in the province.
Other officials have resigned over the issue in protest.
Komichi was last week sentenced to perform 350 hours of community service by magistrate Tendai Mahwe.
Party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora says Komichi should be sworn-in when parliament opens next week.
Mwonzora said the conviction does not stop him from being sworn-in because he is appealing against it.
Sources say Komichi started his community service Monday at a clinic in Harare’s Mabelreign suburb.
In a related development, the MDC formation led by Welshman Ncube on Sunday elected a new leadership for Matabeleland South, filling the chairmanship vacancy that arose following the expulsion of long-serving party cadre, Petros Mukwena.
The new chairman is losing parliamentary candidate, Pilate Ndebele. Sibekithemba Njani was elected to the position of provincial deputy organising secretary while Robert Ndlovu was given the task of secretary for political education and training.
Seeking to contain an increasingly volatile fallout over the issue of party secretary general Priscila Misihairabwi Mushonga that has sharply divided the province and the party at large, the new chairman put out a statement saying all those who have demanded Miss Mushonga’s removal from parliament were not speaking for the province.
A number of high profile party politicians in Matabeleland South want Mushonga removed from parliament after she was controversially picked to represent the province under proportional representation even though she is not resident in the province.
Other officials have resigned over the issue in protest.