MDC Alliance begins integration in Midlands

THE MDC Alliance Midlands structures have begun integrating members of different parties that formed the pact ahead of the July 30 polls into one party.

MDC Alliance Midlands South spokesperson, Munyaradzi Mutandavari confirmed the development and said the process was moving smoothly.

He said the exercise will begin with members outside the main MDC led by Nelson Chamisa, filling posts that were vacant at provincial and district levels of the mainstream party.

MDC Alliance is an electoral bloc formed by seven political parties on August 6 last year as a united front to confront Zanu-PF in the July 30 elections. Most of the member parties had split from original MDC and each other.

"We have started at provincial level and all partners interested in main executive inclusion were accommodated during our last meeting," Mutandavari said.

"The mainstream MDC identifies gaps or vacancies created by resignation, death or suspension. Such gaps are then automatically filled by alliance partners. Where such gaps do not tally with interested partners, then those not accommodated would have to try at a lower structure. Members still enjoying 2014 congress outcome posts will continue to do so until the next congress."

Mutandavari, who is an educationist by profession, said the women's assembly only declared three vacant posts which were now being filled by alliance partner members.

"However, more posts are likely going to open up in the women's assembly structure because the leadership is currently in the process of auditing their structures. Once the gaps have been spotted, alliance partners will be drafted in," he said.

The spokesperson also pointed out that youth assembly leadership led by Chiwundura legislator Livingstone Chimina had started identifying vacant posts within its organ in order to also begin the integration exercise.

Mutandavari said names of those drafted into the main united MDC will be announced at the end of the exercise.

Jacob Mafume, the MDC Alliance national spokesperson said the exercise was above board.

"The parties resolved to integrate into the MDC. It began at national level with Tendai Biti and Welshman Ncube getting into the standing committee. It also got a whole lot more into the national executive. The process now is at provincial level going downwards to the districts," he said.

The MDC Alliance is now led by Nelson Chamisa, who replaced founding president Morgan Tsvangirai who died on February 14 this year after a long battle against colon cancer.