THE rift among partners in the MDC Alliance over sharing of
parliamentary seats has reportedly widened in Bulawayo with People’s Democratic
Party (PDP) deputy president Kucaca Phulu raising alarm bells with MDC-T leader
Nelson Chamisa-led and the party’s provincial chairperson Gift Banda.
Both parties are members of the MDC Alliance, but divisions
have arisen over the sharing of seats with the MDC-T reportedly elbowing out
smaller parties in most parts of the country.
According to sources, PDP was initially allocated Nkulumane
where Phulu was the candidate while the party still has to choose a candidate
for Pumula and six ward councillors.
On May 21, Phulu wrote to Banda saying besides being
allocated Nkulumane and Pumula parliamentary slots, the PDP was also entitled
to six wards equivalent to the number of wards in these constituencies.
“According to our briefing, seats that were agreed by the
negotiators for PDP are Nketa ward 24, Bulawayo East ward 4, Bulawayo South
ward 6, Makokoba ward 8, Mpopoma ward 13, and Luveve ward 15. I am the point
person to conduct all negotiations on behalf of the PDP to effect the local
arrangement,” he said.
He later wrote another letter, saying: “I refer to my
previous correspondence which was delivered to you. I am given to understand
that you are unaware of the need to have a local arrangement regarding the
council seats. In that case, I hereby notify you that the PDP will be fielding
council candidates in Nketa ward, Bulawayo East and South, Makokoba, Mpopoma
and Luveve.
“It is my understanding that the administrative modalities
of the alliance will take our sincere intentions into account.”
Contacted for comment yesterday, Banda said: “Is it not
that we have a big banner called MDC Alliance, and partners in the alliance
have negotiators at national level? I am not aware that they have been given
those seats and who gave them. As a province, we have no power to refuse with
seats as long as the national negotiators have agreed on that. We are
implementers and we cannot refuse with seats if national negotiators gave them.
At the moment, I cannot say which wards they have been given because nothing
has been communicated to me by national negotiators.
Banda said all the partners in the alliance had their own
internal processes, but when the parties agree that a certain party should have
a candidate in a ward or constituency, other parties would withdraw theirs to
pave way for the partner’s candidate. Newsday
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