A MEETING of the opposition MDC Alliance in Bulawayo to
elect members from the province to occupy positions in the party’s national
executive council turned violent yesterday as some disgruntled members accused
the provincial executive of tribalism in the selection process.
A senior party member accused MDC Alliance president Mr
Nelson Chamisa of sowing the seeds of discord when he allegedly rigged the
Bulawayo provincial elections before the party’s congress last month to ensure
his preferred candidates won, along tribal lines.
“It’s Chamisa’s people that we are rejecting. He must come
here and sort out his mess before something worse happens,” said the party member.
Angry MDC Alliance
members went for each other’s throats during the violent clashes at the
opposition party’s Bulawayo provincial offices situated between Fort Street and
3rd Avenue.
The Chronicle observed a party member grabbing another by
the throat while some were hurling unprintable obscenities at each other around
4PM.
Security guards at the gate had a torrid time trying to
separate warring groups as one group appeared to be trying to evict another
group from the premises.
According to inside sources, the violence started when some
members opposed to the newly-elected Bulawayo provincial executive queried the
criteria used in electing five members from the province to occupy the national
executive council seats.
In the provincial elections, Mr James Sithole beat Mr
Phelela Masuku by 509 votes to 307; Mr Felix Mhaka won the deputy chair
position while Mr Ernest Rafamoyo won the provincial secretary position and is
deputised by Mr Walter Taranhike.
The new provincial organiser is Ms Helen Zviviri, deputised
by Mr Collet Ndlovu. Mr Swithern Chirowodza won the spokesperson position and
is deputised by Ms Gladys Mathe. The treasurer is Mr Sonny Phiri deputised by
Ms Grace Mathe.
“It appears some members were not happy with the manner in
which the elections were conducted to elect members of the national executive
council. Those who started the fight accused the Bulawayo provincial executive
of practising tribalism in this whole thing,” said the source.
When The Chronicle visited the MDC Alliance offices
yesterday afternoon, there were skirmishes as rival groups went for each
other’s throats amid tribal undertones. Some angry members even threatened to
boycott future meetings.
The violence comes barely a month after disputed elections
to elect a new MDC Bulawayo provincial executive with losing candidates
challenging the results.
MDC Bulawayo members, who comprise legislator Mr Phelela
Masuku and 11 others, appealed to the party’s national executive council (NEC)
challenging the elections in the province, claiming the process was flawed and
marred by electoral irregularities.
MDC Alliance provincial spokesperson for Bulawayo Mr
Chirowodza declined to comment, saying yesterday’s meeting was internal.
“We had a meeting to appoint members to the national
council and it went smoothly without violence. You are putting me in a very difficult
position by asking me to comment on fiction,” said Mr Chirowodza.
He declined to reveal the names of the electees saying they
were subject to verification. “I’ll be in a position to reveal the names after
a day or two following due party processes,” said Mr Chirowodza. Chronicle
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