FRESH fissures have rocked the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC
Alliance with some of his co-principals accusing the MDC-T party officials of
unilaterally taking over the candidates’ selection process, resulting in double
nominations while some seats had no candidates.
MDC Alliance spokesperson Welshman Ncube told NewsDay that
the blame was squarely on Chamisa’s door as MDC-T leader.
“I suppose we were busy grabbing seats from each other and
forgot that the real enemy is Zanu PF. As far as I know, Insiza North was
allocated to the MDC-T and I have not been briefed as to why they failed to
field a candidate. These are self-inflicted wounds,” Ncube, who doubles as MDC
leader, said.
“We had candidates in these areas including wards, but they
were told they could not contest. The people who were authorising our
candidates decided in their wisdom or lack thereof to instead sign for aspiring
candidates from the MDC-T who unfortunately were not registered in those wards
and they were disqualified on that basis, so we lost.”
But, Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda yesterday
chose to downplay the issue, saying the MDC Alliance principals would meet soon
to review the process.
“The MDC Alliance is alive and intact. Of course, there are
areas where more than one candidate has been deployed but the principals will
be meeting to sort out the problem. There were communication problems within
the structure that was authorising candidates.”
Sibanda added: “The commitment to work together is stronger
than ever. The façade that there is a problem is a narrative by certain
sections of the media. There is going to be a meeting soon to deal with the
matter within the seven day window period within which candidates can be
withdrawn.”
As regards Insiza North, Sibanda said the alliance will
support a Zapu candidate and it was wrong that they had failed to field one.
“We are moving forward strategically, you are aware we have
received an endorsement from Zapu hence we are supporting their candidate. So,
it’s wrong to say we have not fielded a candidate,” Sibanda said.
According to Ncube, the alliance’s leadership initially
agreed to create a framework to deal with candidate authorisation, but this was
upstaged by the MDC-T.
“As principals, we had agreed that we would create an
inclusive platform in which all partners were represented to authorise
candidates, but our colleagues in the MDC-T decided to create an exclusive
framework. It basically meant that any other candidate that the MDC-T guys did
not like would not have their papers signed, but instead aspiring candidates
from their party would be allowed.
“This resulted in sitting councillors in the Matabeleland
provinces held by our party (MDC) failing to file their nomination papers. As
things stand most alliance partners are not contesting in local council
countrywide except the MDC-T. Our proportional representation sitting MP
Nomalanga Khumalo was also denied the right to file her papers after the MDC-T
people refused to sign for her,” Ncube charged.
Ncube also said: “We are in the alliance because the
majority of the people want us to unite. It is the only way we can give our
people a chance. I have spoken to other partners and they remain committed.
But, we will have to speak to each other honestly and openly about what should
not have happened and hope we will continue as a unit after that. The good part
is nothing happened that we did not expect.”
As a result of the confusion around authorisation of
candidates, Ncube said most alliance partners had lost seats allocated to them
under the pact, while in other areas there were double nominations.
“Our colleagues arrogated themselves exclusive authority to
allow or deny prospective contestants a chance to file the papers. The MDC
ended up with 18 seats in the national assembly but effectively they are 16
because in two Mazowe seats our candidates would be challenged by MDC-T members
whose papers were signed by their officials.
“Transform Zimbabwe has 12 seats but in half of those they
are being challenged by alliance candidates. Even more bewildering is the fact
that Zanu-Ndonga was allocated one seat in Chipinge under the alliance but this
was taken away by the MDC-T so they are only in the alliance for the sake of
it. The list goes on,” the former Industry minister said.
“As for the MDC-T initially they were allocated 114 seats
as part of the alliance but by Thursday, (MDC-T secretary-general Douglas)
Mwonzora was saying they had breached the 150 thresh-hold. I don’t know how
many they have now.
“They grabbed 14 seats from us and allocated two to the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP led by Tendai Biti) before taking one away from
them as well, I think Beitbridge East,” Ncube said.
Sibanda, however, defended the reported chaos in the
alliance.
“Democracy is messy. It is a challenge and I think the
noise, the bickering and the back and forth is a sign of democracy and that is
a good thing for this country.
“We must be happy we have parties that are willing to be in
an alliance despite their competing interests but have stayed in to fight it
out for the benefit of the people in the end,” Sibanda said. Newsday
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