MDC-ALLIANCE leader Mr Nelson Chamisa who is desperate to
shrug off stiff competition from secretary-general Mr Douglas Mwonzora in the forthcoming
congress last Wednesday presided over provincial elections in the middle of the
night in the Midlands province.
The presence of Mr Chamisa and his ally, Mr Tendai Biti in
Gweru was viewed as a ploy to influence the outcome of the elections, and soon
after the winners were announced, the new provincial leadership nominated Mr
Chamisa for party presidency ahead of the congress where elections for national
office bearers will be held.
Mr Chamisa’s long time ally and Gweru Mayor Councillor
Josiah Makombe is now the new provincial chairperson for Midlands South
Province. Clr Makombe, who was being contested by Mr Davis Shoko garnered 878
votes while his rival got 542. Mr Cleopas Shiri who was also vying for the same
post chickened out at the last minute.
Clr Makombe will be deputised by Mr Sydwell Bhepe. Other
elected leaders to the main wing include Messrs Lazarus Chacha, Livingstone
Chimina, Lloyd Mkapiko and Takavafira Zhou who grabbed the secretary,
treasurer, provincial organ and information secretary posts respectively. Ms
Cathrine Gosho will chair the provincial women’s league while Ms Sekai Marasha
won uncontested to be the youth league chair.
“Party president Nelson Chamisa was there at the elections
that were held at midnight on Wednesday. He was accompanied by Tendai Biti. We
suspect that they wanted to ensure that the elected members are inclined to
them because we are going for an elective congress soon,” said a party member.
Soon after the elections, some of the party members raised
concern over the exclusion of women in the provincial executive.
Ward 4 councillor Catherine Mhondiwa said it was worrying
that women were not being represented in the provincial executive.
“We are not happy as women because the whole executive
members are men. We feel sidelined. Why were women not allocated their portion
or slots in the executive and they compete for those positions on their own?”
she said.
Clr Makombe dismissed the allegations that the elections
were manipulated.
“In every election people complain. So what people should
do is to graciously accept defeat and move on. Everyone in the party has one
president Advocate Chamisa, so when people say Chamisa’s people were voted into
the executive it means they are not MDC-Alliance because Advocate Chamisa is
the president,” he said.
Clr Makombe said women will fill other positions that are
not voted for in the executive.
“Women did not participate in the elections so what we have
done is that there are 46 members of the executive. So only 10 positions are
voted for and the rest, people will be co-opted. So we are going to co-opt more
women,” he said. Sunday News
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