Tsvangirai throws MDC-T Byo province into chaos

THE president of the "T" suffixed MDC Morgan Tsvangirai has thrown the MDC-T Bulawayo province into disarray amid allegations of massive rigging following the controversial election of Bulawayo deputy mayor Gift Banda to provincial chairperson post.

About four MDC-T Bulawayo districts were reportedly barred from attending the Saturday provincial congress, where Tsvangirai was personally accrediting delegates," reports a daily paper today.

The elections that saw Banda polling 707 votes against 213 for Senator Matson Hlalo, his main challenger, were marred by violence, allegations of vote-buying and reports of ballot-stuffing, according to media reports.

Losing candidates dismissed the results as a sham, a sad day for democracy and vowed to challenge the outcome, before accusing Tsvangirai of personally accrediting delegates to tacitly rig elections in favour of Banda.

 The accreditation, according to disgruntled losing candidates, was not done according to the set guidelines and the fact that Tsvangirai was personally accrediting delegates is reflective of the level of rigging.

But yesterday Banda downplayed vote-rigging allegations, saying it was "unfortunate that the losing parties will resort to lying to tarnish the vote process".

Dorcas Sibanda and Albert Mhlanga, the Bulawayo Central and Pumula legislator were elected unopposed as deputy chairperson and organising secretary respectively.