A number of serving MDC-T MPs were on the verge
of losing their seats yesterday in primary elections with the party’s
vice-president Elias Mudzuri (pictured) said to be one of the casualties.
Sitting legislators such as James Maridadi
(Mabvuku/Tafara), Fani Munengami (Glen View North) and Simon Chidhakwa (Zengeza
West) were said to be in danger of losing in their bid to run for another term
in elections expected between mid-July and August.
MDC-T Harare chairperson Eric Murai said things
were not looking good for most of the sitting MPs, but refused to confirm names
of the losing candidates.
“Most of the sitting MPs did not make it and
fell by the wayside. The remaining are under siege and things are not looking
well for them,” he said.
Maridadi referred all questions to Harvest
house, the MDC-T headquarters.
“When you have spoken to those at Harvest House
I will comment then,” he said.
Although the primaries went on without any
major incident in Kuwadzana East, there were serious clashes involving youth
leader Shakespeare Mukoyi and party deputy treasurer-general Chalton Hwende.
“We are having challenges in Kuwadzana and I
feel people are plotting my downfall and yet my past record proves my worth,”
Mukoyi said.
“I have been in Kuwadzana since 1986 and I rose
through the ladder from sheer hard work and love for my party.”
Mukoyi accused Hwende of trying to bulldoze his
way into a constituency that he does not belong to.
“He is from Mashonaland West, but I have been
here with the vanguard making sure the party’s image is maintained and restored
to its former glory,” he said.
“I respect the leadership structure and if they
do not want me to stand, they should come out in the open and say so.”
Mukoyi claimed that a senior MDC-T official had
approached him saying if he stepped down from the race, he would be rewarded.
“I have a recording of the conversation and I
am yet to hand it over to the chairperson,” he said.
Hwende refused to comment on the fallout, but
said the elections had been postponed.
MDC-T national chairman Morgen Komichi
maintained that the elections were progressing well and that the “small”
disturbances were nothing unusual. Standard
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