MDC-T appeases senior party members

THE Mr Nelson Chamisa-led MDC-T has resolved not to subject some senior leaders to primary elections in a bid to quell growing discontent over the party's internal polls in which some big guns lost.

The ongoing internal polls have presented shock results in some constituencies and wards where seating MPs and councillors lost hence Mr Chamisa's decision to impose the seniors as candidates in the forthcoming elections.

MDC-T vice president Engineer Elias Mudzuri on Monday came out guns blazing describing the party's internal polls as a sham after some of its senior party members lost.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, MDC-T national chairman Mr Morgen Komichi said the party respects its senior cadres and will protect them from being contested by juniors. He however, expressed fears that the decision could amount to imposition of candidates and might backfire. "When it comes to vice president Mudzuri, the party has engaged the vice president, so as to manage the argument on the ground. The vice president Mudzuri has agreed to go on the Senate list," said Mr Komichi.

"So Honourable Mudzuri did not contest in the primary elections that took place in Warren Park.  Those 'perceived junior' people contested among themselves."

He said similar protection was given to some of its high ranking officials in the party.

"The party respects its leaders, we don't want to see the secretary general (Douglas Mwonzora) subjected to a primary election by junior people or the national organising secretary (Amos Chibaya).

"We don't want that. We have a deliberate policy to engage our leaders as well as respect the people on the ground," he said.

Mr Komichi however, said protecting some senior party members could come at a price as supporters know what they want.  "Here it comes, do the people on the ground want seniority by rank or seniority by experience? No. People want the most popular person," he said.