I’m not a dictator, I am such a sweet guy – Chamisa

Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa has dismissed reports that he is a dictator but says he is such a sweet guy who deserves all the good things.

Chamisa was accused of having dictatorial tendencies after firing the mayor of Masvingo, Victoria Falls, Chitungwiza and the deputy mayor of Bulawayo.

“Many people are saying Chamisa is a dictator; he is this and that, what have I done?” he told the Daily News.

“I’m not a dictator, I am not confused either and I am such a sweet guy who deserves all the good things.

“Some people are saying I am tribal but I figure that only weak people hide behind tribe, race colour, class and all that.”

Chamisa said he had stepped in after his main rival Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front connived with certain people to bribe MDC councillors because it has no councillors.

“They have turned some of our mayors and councillors to be theirs,” he said.

The MDC yesterday outlined the procedure for selecting mayors.

1. The party called for expression of interest from elected councilors in all the cities and towns.
2. Interested candidates submitted their profiles and CVs.
3. Provincial structures and the general public also made nominations and recommendations.
4. A panel comprising of local government structures, the local government committee and civil society primarily those dealing with service delivery issues conducted interviews for all the individuals who expressed interest.
5. The councillors in the local area concerned where consulted and in some cases they voted .No restrictive shortlisting was done.
6. A score card was produced for each of the candidates and the best candidate was put forward to lead the party’s SMART agenda for Transformation. Where there were more than two qualified candidates a vote was conducted.

“This is the job at hand and the MDC is focused on this task. The MDC will therefore not apologise for leading through formal structures. Internal party democracy and procedures are an important component of the principles of the MDC,” the party said.

“The party makes resolutions based on organs using collectively set methods. We also take the opportunity to state that president Chamisa has no direct hand in the selection of mayors beyond his constitutional mandate of carrying out his duties. Those mandated with a process account through him and the National Council.”

It said the party won 26 of the 32 urban local authorities.

“Mayors in these cities and towns were elected successfully using the process outlined above save for the four incidences which the party is dealing with using the same internal processes and procedures,” the party said.

“Democracy and discipline in the party are twins. The party shall have both or it will be unable to deliver.”

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