MDC-T primary elections go smoothly?

MDC-T primary elections in Harare went on smoothly in some constituencies while in others, chaotic scenes carried the day as party members from different camps clashed over the manner the polls were being conducted.

The party conducted its primaries in most parts of Harare and results were streaming in by late yesterday.

In Kuwadzana East, a constituency once held by the now party leader Nelson Chamisa, there were skirmishes as supporters of aspiring candidates clashed over the eligibility of party deputy treasurer-general, Charlton Hwende.

On the other side, hordes of Hwende's supporters refused to be cowed, warning any attempt to remove him will be met with resistance.

According to the party members, Shakespeare Mukoyi, the deputy youth boss challenged Hwende to prove that he was from Kuwadzana constituency, angering Hwende's supporters who then refused to participate in the elections. They then regrouped and agreed to take the matter to the provincial leadership.

Harare provincial chairman Eric Murai said he was yet to receive reports of what transpired.

"I am yet to receive all the reports, but so far people have maintained our expected standards. People voted peacefully and we are starting to receive the results. The majority of the results will be expected by end of day," he said.

Murai also implored candidates to maintain discipline and be good ambassadors of the party.

The party's national chairman Morgen Komichi said the party will investigate and bring to book perpetrators of violence during the primary election.

"We are going to investigate cases of violence and we will deal with them," Komichi said.

"All those allegations will be investigated and we will bring the culprits to book."

The MDC-T chairman said although there were problems in some areas, the party was largely happy with how the primaries were conducted.

"Where there is competition of people there is bound to be conflict, it cannot be like a wedding. This is normal," he said.