News / National
Gift Banda targets MDC treasury post
30 Mar 2019 at 13:36hrs | Views
MDC Alliance Bulawayo provincial chairman, Mr Gift Banda, is said to be eyeing the party's national deputy treasurer's post during the opposition party's congress set for May.
MDC Alliance president Mr Nelson Chamisa is likely to be challenged by his deputy Mr Elias Mudzuri and the party's secretary general Mr Douglas Mwonzora in the race to lead the opposition party.
In Bulawayo, Mr Banda is allegedly backing Nketa MP Phelelela Masuku to take over from him while Makokoba MP James Sithole, Cowdray Park aspiring councillor Alderman Collet Ndlovu, businessman Sonny Phiri and former Senator Matson Hlalo are said to be also targeting the provincial top post as previously reported.
Mr Banda yesterday confirmed that he was no longer interested in the provincial chairman's post, but could not confirm that he was eyeing the national deputy treasurer's post.
"A good dancer knows when to leave the stage. I think I have served the province to the best of my ability and would decline any nomination for the provincial chairmanship position," said Mr Banda.
"However, it will be premature for me to comment about nomination for any post at national level. The nominations have not been opened so we will wait until they are opened so that I can openly talk about my political ambitions."
He said his plate is already half full with the National Assembly seat and the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) position (vice president) where he is on suspension.
However, sources within the opposition party said Mr Banda was eyeing the senior position in the MDC Alliance.
"If you check, things have been working for him since he joined politics a few years back. He moved from being a councillor to a Member of Parliament. Banda is ambitious; he wouldn't want to retain the same position for long. He is definitely not going to contest the provincial chair position. I'm confident that when nominations open his people will nominate him for the deputy treasurer position. Already people are doing underground canvassing for positions," said the source.
MDC Alliance president Mr Nelson Chamisa is likely to be challenged by his deputy Mr Elias Mudzuri and the party's secretary general Mr Douglas Mwonzora in the race to lead the opposition party.
In Bulawayo, Mr Banda is allegedly backing Nketa MP Phelelela Masuku to take over from him while Makokoba MP James Sithole, Cowdray Park aspiring councillor Alderman Collet Ndlovu, businessman Sonny Phiri and former Senator Matson Hlalo are said to be also targeting the provincial top post as previously reported.
Mr Banda yesterday confirmed that he was no longer interested in the provincial chairman's post, but could not confirm that he was eyeing the national deputy treasurer's post.
"A good dancer knows when to leave the stage. I think I have served the province to the best of my ability and would decline any nomination for the provincial chairmanship position," said Mr Banda.
"However, it will be premature for me to comment about nomination for any post at national level. The nominations have not been opened so we will wait until they are opened so that I can openly talk about my political ambitions."
He said his plate is already half full with the National Assembly seat and the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) position (vice president) where he is on suspension.
However, sources within the opposition party said Mr Banda was eyeing the senior position in the MDC Alliance.
"If you check, things have been working for him since he joined politics a few years back. He moved from being a councillor to a Member of Parliament. Banda is ambitious; he wouldn't want to retain the same position for long. He is definitely not going to contest the provincial chair position. I'm confident that when nominations open his people will nominate him for the deputy treasurer position. Already people are doing underground canvassing for positions," said the source.
Source - zimpapers
