Dual candidates resurface at MDC as infighting rages

INFIGHTING in the MDC Alliance Bulawayo provincial structures has seen the opposition party registering two candidates for an upcoming local government by-election, compromising its chances of retaining the seat.

This followed the abandonment of primary elections for the ward 28 council seat left vacant following the death of Hapson Ncube in December last year.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has set March 2 as the date for the by-election.

As a result of the on-going factional fights, two aspiring MDC Alliance ward 28 candidates Collet Ndlovu, a former councillor and Nomagugu Sibanda successfully filed their papers when the Nomination Court sat on Friday.

Eighteen candidates lodged their papers at the Nomination Court for the vacant Cowdray Park seat with Zanu-PF fielding one candidate Kidwell Mujuru, the losing candidate in the
July 30, 2018 election.

MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora said the opposition party will hold fresh primaries this week, which will see the loser being forced to withdraw their candidature.

"The MDC Alliance fielded two candidates for the Cowdray Park by-election. Internal primary elections last week were abandoned after some criminals destroyed ballot papers," Mwonzora said.

"We are going to hold fresh primary elections this week where the winner will be confirmed the party's official candidate, while the loser will be asked to withdraw his or her candidature."

Last year, intra-party fighting also caused the abandonment of primary elections in the same ward ahead of the disputed July 30 harmonised elections. Ndlovu was defeated in the primaries by the late Ncube.