By Anna Chibamu

MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora has recalled former Harare Mayor Elias Mudzuri from Senate.

Deputy Senate president (Rtd) Brigadier Mike Nyambuya made the announcement Tuesday.

“I have to inform the House that on the 6th of February, 2023, I was notified by the Movement for Democratic Change that with effect from the 1st of February, 2023, Hon. Sen. Eng. Elias Mudzuri ceased to be a member of the MDC party. Accordingly, Section 129 (1) (K) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe applies, it provides that: – “A seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the Member has ceased to belong to the political party of which he or she was a member when elected to Parliament and the political party concerned, by written notice to the Speaker or the President of the Senate, as the case may be, has declared that the member has ceased to belong to it,” said Nyambuya.

Nyambuya added that “the necessary administrative measures will be taken to inform his Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of the existence of the vacancy in line with the Electoral Act, [Chapter 2:13].”

Mudzuri was suspended following an underwhelming performance at the elective congress held last year.

He was a presidential aspirant and was accused by Mwonzora of causing chaos in the build up to the congress.

The former energy minister and other suspended MDC members have since hinted at plans to form a splinter group challenging Mwonzora’s leadership.