News / Local
Gift Banda dealt a sever blow, out of MDC-T chairperson running
25 Jul 2014 at 08:06hrs | Views
Acting Bulawayo mayor Gift Banda has fallen by the wayside in the race for the MDC-T Bulawayo provincial chairperson's position after a 'template' introduced by the party rendered him ineligible ahead of its congress in September.
This comes after a weekend visit by party president Morgan Tsvangirai, where he introduced the 'template' stipulating the position can only be contested by someone who has been a member of the party for at least five years and also a district position holder for the same number of years.
The chairperson's position is heavily contested by acting provincial chairperson Dorcas Sibanda, former Mzilikazi-Makokoba senator Matson Hlalo and Bulawayo East legislator Thabitha Khumalo, while provincial organiser Albert Mhlanga withdrew from the competition as he settled for re-election into his position.
In a telephone interview on Wednesday, Mhlanga said the new regulations postulated by the party do not favour Banda, adding that he belongs to the grassroots.
"Banda failed to make it according to the new regulations. In reality he belongs to the grassroots and he qualifies only as a member in a ward," Mhlanga said.
He stated that the provincial chairperson's position was a senior member's position where only Sibanda, Khumalo and Hlalo were eligible.
Sibanda has been acting chairperson since the departure of Gorden Moyo who had initially gone for a sabbatical in April before officially resigning to being an ordinary card-carrying member last month.
Contacted for comment on Wednesday, Banda said despite never having campaigned for the position in public, only the districts were mandated to choose people they wanted to represent them at congress.
"I never publicly claimed that I'm in the race for the provincial chairperson (position). Only the districts can choose people they want for representation at congress and the congress is a long time to come," he said.
This comes after a weekend visit by party president Morgan Tsvangirai, where he introduced the 'template' stipulating the position can only be contested by someone who has been a member of the party for at least five years and also a district position holder for the same number of years.
The chairperson's position is heavily contested by acting provincial chairperson Dorcas Sibanda, former Mzilikazi-Makokoba senator Matson Hlalo and Bulawayo East legislator Thabitha Khumalo, while provincial organiser Albert Mhlanga withdrew from the competition as he settled for re-election into his position.
In a telephone interview on Wednesday, Mhlanga said the new regulations postulated by the party do not favour Banda, adding that he belongs to the grassroots.
"Banda failed to make it according to the new regulations. In reality he belongs to the grassroots and he qualifies only as a member in a ward," Mhlanga said.
He stated that the provincial chairperson's position was a senior member's position where only Sibanda, Khumalo and Hlalo were eligible.
Sibanda has been acting chairperson since the departure of Gorden Moyo who had initially gone for a sabbatical in April before officially resigning to being an ordinary card-carrying member last month.
Contacted for comment on Wednesday, Banda said despite never having campaigned for the position in public, only the districts were mandated to choose people they wanted to represent them at congress.
"I never publicly claimed that I'm in the race for the provincial chairperson (position). Only the districts can choose people they want for representation at congress and the congress is a long time to come," he said.
Source - Zim Mail
