MDC Alliance national organising secretary Amos Chibaya
last week blamed the party’s top leadership for the party’s loss in Chiredzi
West during the harmonised elections last year, saying imposition of candidates
which saw some disgruntled party members contesting in the national election as
independents had cost the party dearly.
Chibaya addressed party supporters at Chiredzi Civic Centre
grounds on Sunday last where he attacked some unnamed party leaders for
manipulating the party’s primary elections last year to suit their personal
ambitions, much to the detriment of unity in the district.
“We lost in Chiredzi West and you don’t have to blame
yourselves on that but you can blame party leaders. When we visited Tshovani
Stadium with President Nelson Chamisa, he ordered for a re-run (of the
primaries) but that was not done,” said Chibaya.
Chiredzi West’s primary elections were chaotic resulting in
many candidates contesting as independent candidates.
Simbarashe Baloyi and UK-based businessman John Manganye
stood as independent candidates after Stanley Themba won during the chaotic
primaries.
The parliamentary seat was later won by Farai Musikavanhu
of Zanu PF who had prevailed in his party’s own chaotic primaries.
At the meeting, Chiredzi district chairperson James Kampota
claimed that the opposition party’s Masvingo provincial chairperson James Gumbi
was responsible for manipulating Chiredzi West structures.
“I personally presided over the formation of structures in
Ward 3 and everything went well there. Later on, Chairman Gumbi called me and
declared the structures null and void,” said Kampota.
Chibaya said those who supported independent candidates
should not be barred from contesting for positions in the new structures that
he said will be formed next week.
He however said those who contested as independents were
not allowed to participate as they had technically expelled themselves from the
party.
“We don’t see any reason why those who supported
independent candidates must be barred from participating in structures. Only
those who stood as independent candidates should appeal to my office stating
why they stood as independent candidates and a committee will decide whether to
admit them back into the party or not,” Chibaya said.
During a recent provincial caucus in Bulawayo ahead of the
MDC Alliance congress, party’s secretary general Douglas Mwonzora blamed the
double candidates debacle that the party suffered in many constituencies on the
then national chairperson Morgan Komichi. Tell Zimbabwe
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