VIOLENCE rocked the MDC Chiredzi district congress on
Sunday, leading to its postponement for the third time to June 2, 2019 after
the oppostion party’s national organiser Amos Chibaya was reportedly struck
with a phone by Febbie Zisengwe, one of the outgoing district portfolio
committee members. Zisengwe was immediately suspended from the party.
Contacted for comment, Chibaya tried to play down the
incident. “I don’t think she wanted to strike me with the phone. She did it by
accident. It was not her intention. I was just threatening (to suspend) her. We
cannot be seen throwing people out of the party every time they make a
mistake,” he said.
The congress took place soon after the “thank you rally”
addressed by party leader Nelson Chamisa at Tshovani Stadium.
Chibaya called off the elections held at the Town House
around 8pm before wards 5 and 8 could elect their executive teams. This was
after disgruntled members threw stones under the cover of darkness. The
situation turned violent after members felt the elections were not being
handled fairly.
Addressing members after tempers had cooled down, Chibaya
said Chiredzi West would not attend the party congress slated for May 24 to 26
in Gweru.
“Chiredzi West main wing and youth league are not going to
attend the forthcoming national congress. I am coming here after congress on
June 2, 2019 to conduct the elections.
“So far, only the chairperson for the women’s wing is going
to vote during the Gweru congress because the women managed to complete their
elections. This is the first time I have conducted elections at ward and
district levels as a national organiser. I am pleading with you to remain
united as a family,” he said.
The congress, which was meant to elect the district
leadership, failed to take place because the wards in attendance failed to
constitute a quorum. Only 10 out of 13 wards showed up after bungling by the
district party leadership in announcing the date for the event.
Chiredzi West has long presented a problem for the MDC. In
2018, more than 10 party members contested as independent candidates in the
July 30 harmonised elections in both the parliamentary and local government
elections. Newsday
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