Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC formation on Monday rolled out probe teams to investigate graft allegations in rural and urban councils under its councillors, expelling Marondera mayor Farai Nyandoro in the process.
Nyandoro confirmed he had been suspended from the party. The MDC says Nyandoro is corrupt and has received kickbacks from a number of companies and individuals in return for favorable tenders and related things.
The probe by the MDC comes at a time when Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo has launched his own corruption investigations into Bulawayo and Chitungwiza local authorities.
On the other hand, MDC sources say the probe may play into Chombo's hands while others say the probe is a witch-hunt by lawmakers trying to block councillors from challenging them in the next elections.
In Bulawayo Chombo recently appointed a four-member team led by former local government secretary Finnie Munyira to investigate the City council over corruption allegations.
Residents in the City of Kings, however, question Chombo's sincerity, charging he too must be investigated for corruption.
Party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora confirmed the probe teams have been dispatched, telling VOA's Jonga Kandemiiri the investigators will go beyond investigating corruption in the councils to look at service delivery and related issues.
