MDC YOUTHS SLAM SHAMBOLIC PRIMARY ELECTION IN BYO

MDC-T Bulawayo Youth Assembly yesterday slammed the party’s national elections committee for running a shambolic primary in a local constituency. The youths accused senior party leaders of “commercialising democracy.”

Addressing journalists in Bulawayo, the Youth Assembly provincial deputy secretary Mr Takunda Madzana accused the party’s secretary for elections Mr Murisi Zwizwai and deputy treasurer general Mr Charlton Hwende of imposing candidates and fraudulently running the candidates’ selection process.

MDC-T vice president Engineer Elias Mudzuri recently slammed the party for its conduct in selecting candidates.

He said the MDC-T was cruel to itself by sidelining some of its poor loyal supporters while imposing rich candidates to represent the people. Mr Madzana accused Mr Zwizwai and Mr Hwende of “being shameless” in presiding over a sham election.

“We want to raise an alarm in the conduct of one honourable Zwizwai who is our secretary for elections in the main wing. And Mr Charlton Hwende, who is from the national election directorate. As a province we set aside Bulawayo South as our youth quota after Mpopoma-Pelandaba was subjected to an open contest,” said Mr Madzana.

“The above mentioned leaders came all the way from Harare to impose a sham election in Ward 6 of Bulawayo South and called it a Members of Parliament primary election.”

He said their actions were unacceptable in the party as youths had grabbed the constituency ahead of the harmonised elections. Mr Madzana described the duo as enemies of the party’s youths.

“These two shameless gentlemen who are trying to commercialise the struggle have naturally declared themselves enemies of the Youth Assembly and as a result it is our position that we don’t want to see them again in Bulawayo on issues to do with candidates’ selection,” said Mr Madzana.
He said Youth Assembly will field Mr Kudakwashe Muchemwa to run for MP position despite the party declaring Mr Francis Mangweza as its candidate for the constituency.

Recently, an aspiring councillor and member of the Youth Assembly Mr Tinashe Kambarami allegedly drew a gun demanding that the party should stop holding a primary election in the constituency as it was reserved for the youth.

In an interview, MDC-T national chairman Mr Morgen Komichi confirmed that there is a crisis in the party regarding the Bulawayo South primary election.

“These are problems that are under the management of the party. The party is handling that issue. You must also be aware that where primary elections take place there are chances of a conflict. The party is managing the conflict. We aim to come out with a win-win situation so that the Bulawayo problems can be resolved amicably,” said Mr Komichi. Chronicle 

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