News / Local
Confusion reigns in MDC-T Bulawayo
29 Jun 2014 at 19:40hrs | Views
THE confusion over leadership of the MDC-T Bulawayo province intensified yesterday after the party failed to hold elections with acting provincial chairperson Dorcas Sibanda saying the polls were never on the agenda.
MDC-T provincial secretary Albert Mhlanga had announced that elections to replace Makokoba MP Gorden Moyo who resigned early this month, were scheduled for yesterday.
Mhlanga said organising secretary Nelson Chamisa would conduct the elections that would have seen the posts of youth provincial chairperson left vacant by Bekithemba Nyathi being filled.
Nyathi, the Mpopoma-Pelandaba MP is now part of MDC-T secretary Tendai Biti's renewal team alongside Luveve MP Reggie Moyo, a former provincial committee member.
Although Chamisa was at the MDC-T provincial offices yesterday, the polls never took place.
Sibanda said she would remain acting chairperson until the party holds a congress in October.
"I am not aware of the elections you are talking about. We had a meeting with national organising committee led by the party's national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa to discuss issues affecting party structures ahead of our congress and current affairs," she said.
"We never had plans for elections. When we conduct elections we usually inform people when there is time to prepare. It is not our culture to hold elections at short notice."
An MDC-T insider said the elections were postponed because the party's leadership was afraid that Mhlanga would win against Sibanda.
The Pumula MP recently had a fallout with MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe.
At the meeting, Chamisa took Mhlanga to task for organising feedback meetings where he was apologising to party supporters for allegedly rigging primary elections in Entumbane, Magwegwe, Luveve and Pelandaba-Mpopoma ahead of last year's elections.
"You were confessing that you helped rig primaries, so tell us what had gotten into your mind when you were uttering this," Chamisa said.
He also lashed at other party members callings themselves MDC-T veterans saying there was nothing like that.
MDC-T provincial secretary Albert Mhlanga had announced that elections to replace Makokoba MP Gorden Moyo who resigned early this month, were scheduled for yesterday.
Mhlanga said organising secretary Nelson Chamisa would conduct the elections that would have seen the posts of youth provincial chairperson left vacant by Bekithemba Nyathi being filled.
Nyathi, the Mpopoma-Pelandaba MP is now part of MDC-T secretary Tendai Biti's renewal team alongside Luveve MP Reggie Moyo, a former provincial committee member.
Although Chamisa was at the MDC-T provincial offices yesterday, the polls never took place.
Sibanda said she would remain acting chairperson until the party holds a congress in October.
"We never had plans for elections. When we conduct elections we usually inform people when there is time to prepare. It is not our culture to hold elections at short notice."
An MDC-T insider said the elections were postponed because the party's leadership was afraid that Mhlanga would win against Sibanda.
The Pumula MP recently had a fallout with MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe.
At the meeting, Chamisa took Mhlanga to task for organising feedback meetings where he was apologising to party supporters for allegedly rigging primary elections in Entumbane, Magwegwe, Luveve and Pelandaba-Mpopoma ahead of last year's elections.
"You were confessing that you helped rig primaries, so tell us what had gotten into your mind when you were uttering this," Chamisa said.
He also lashed at other party members callings themselves MDC-T veterans saying there was nothing like that.
Source - Southern Eye
