News / National
Tsvangirai shields MDC-T party 'bigwigs'
04 Feb 2013 at 07:39hrs | Views
MDC-T leader Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has shielded party "bigwigs" and sitting MPs countrywide from a stiff challenge by Young Turks threatening to contest their seats, amid reports they had been "cowed" into withdrawal following high-profile behind-the-scenes meetings.
Despite the move by Tsvangirai, who reportedly used party rules to give the party bosses a clear route to elections, former Daily News editor-in-chief Geoff Nyarota yesterday confirmed that he would contest against Makoni South MP and Manicaland MDC-T provincial spokesperson Pishai Muchauraya.
Yesterday, Nyarota said: "That's true, I will be standing in Makoni South constituency (on an MDC-T ticket)."
Nyarota joins the growing list of scribes who have reportedly chosen to swap their notebooks for a parliamentary seat.
MDC-T organising secretary Nelson Chamisa confirmed they had received CVs from prospective candidates, but said the selection process would be done once the leadership gave the "greenlight".
The imminent primary elections to select candidates to represent the party in the forthcoming general election were threatening to create fissures after a group requested Tsvangirai to disregard a party constitutional position on sitting MPs.
The MDC-T constitution stipulates that a sitting MP requires a two-thirds confirmation from party officials in his/her constituency to avoid a primary election.
But informed MDC-T sources said that newer members wanted the provision waived to allow for leadership renewal in the 13-year-old party.
Yesterday, party sources told NewsDay that top party leaders met youth assembly leaders and asked them to spare the MDC-T standing committee members to avoid unnecessary tension within the labour-backed formation.
MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe (Makokoba), chairman Lovemore Moyo (Matobo North), secretary-general Tendai Biti (Harare East), Chamisa (Kuwadzana East), women assembly chairperson Theresa Makone (Harare North), secretary for international relations Jameson Timba (Mt Pleasant), deputy organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe (Nkayi South), Information deputy minister Murisi Zwizwai (Harare Central), national spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora (Nyanga North) and deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma (Makoni North) are among the survivors.
Mwonzora on Friday said: 'It's still early to say how many, as the process is still ongoing. The deadline was yesterday (Thursday), but a number of other districts have asked for an extension to deal with teething problems. It shows that most of our leaders and MPs have received a big vote of confidence by the electorate in their leadership."
Judging by the nomination papers submitted to the MDC-T national council at the close of the nomination process last Thursday, scores of standing committee members and MPs could have escaped the onslaught.
"All standing committee members in Harare are not challenged according to our provincial resolutions and that makes several ministers in Harare safe," another insider who refused to be named said.
". . . (But) youth assembly president Solomon Madzore submitted his CV and is interested in the Dzivarasekwa seat currently held by Evelyn Masaiti."
It is understood that some constituencies had as many as 14 aspiring candidates submitting nomination papers for one seat.
MDC-T Harare provincial spokesperson Obert Gutu, however, said: "We can't override a resolution by the national council, we never came up with such a resolution. No other subordinate body has power to ignore, amend or reject the resolutions of the national council and I can tell you the provincial council never made that decision and as of now, I have no idea who is being challenged or not."
It is understood that in Harare, several MDC-T councillors have thrown their hats into the ring for parliamentary seats with Victor Chifodya (Glen View Ward 30) seeking to challenge Budiriro MP Heneri Dzinotyiwei. Ward 10 councillor Musa Macheza is challenging Margaret Matienga in Sunningdale while Friday Muleya (Ward 4 Mbare) is set to fight it out against former ZBC disc jockey Eric Knight and Restoration of Human Rights chairman Sten Zvorwadza for the Mbare seat.
Meanwhile, the Welshman Ncube-led MDC secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga yesterday said: "Why should the party (MDC-T) make different rules for different people? We hear some of them (standing committee members) threw parties at the weekend to celebrate that they would not be challenged in primaries."
In her party, Misihairabwi-Mushonga said there would be no "sacred cows" with all seats from council to the presidium open for challenge.
Despite the move by Tsvangirai, who reportedly used party rules to give the party bosses a clear route to elections, former Daily News editor-in-chief Geoff Nyarota yesterday confirmed that he would contest against Makoni South MP and Manicaland MDC-T provincial spokesperson Pishai Muchauraya.
Yesterday, Nyarota said: "That's true, I will be standing in Makoni South constituency (on an MDC-T ticket)."
Nyarota joins the growing list of scribes who have reportedly chosen to swap their notebooks for a parliamentary seat.
MDC-T organising secretary Nelson Chamisa confirmed they had received CVs from prospective candidates, but said the selection process would be done once the leadership gave the "greenlight".
The imminent primary elections to select candidates to represent the party in the forthcoming general election were threatening to create fissures after a group requested Tsvangirai to disregard a party constitutional position on sitting MPs.
The MDC-T constitution stipulates that a sitting MP requires a two-thirds confirmation from party officials in his/her constituency to avoid a primary election.
But informed MDC-T sources said that newer members wanted the provision waived to allow for leadership renewal in the 13-year-old party.
Yesterday, party sources told NewsDay that top party leaders met youth assembly leaders and asked them to spare the MDC-T standing committee members to avoid unnecessary tension within the labour-backed formation.
Mwonzora on Friday said: 'It's still early to say how many, as the process is still ongoing. The deadline was yesterday (Thursday), but a number of other districts have asked for an extension to deal with teething problems. It shows that most of our leaders and MPs have received a big vote of confidence by the electorate in their leadership."
Judging by the nomination papers submitted to the MDC-T national council at the close of the nomination process last Thursday, scores of standing committee members and MPs could have escaped the onslaught.
"All standing committee members in Harare are not challenged according to our provincial resolutions and that makes several ministers in Harare safe," another insider who refused to be named said.
". . . (But) youth assembly president Solomon Madzore submitted his CV and is interested in the Dzivarasekwa seat currently held by Evelyn Masaiti."
It is understood that some constituencies had as many as 14 aspiring candidates submitting nomination papers for one seat.
MDC-T Harare provincial spokesperson Obert Gutu, however, said: "We can't override a resolution by the national council, we never came up with such a resolution. No other subordinate body has power to ignore, amend or reject the resolutions of the national council and I can tell you the provincial council never made that decision and as of now, I have no idea who is being challenged or not."
It is understood that in Harare, several MDC-T councillors have thrown their hats into the ring for parliamentary seats with Victor Chifodya (Glen View Ward 30) seeking to challenge Budiriro MP Heneri Dzinotyiwei. Ward 10 councillor Musa Macheza is challenging Margaret Matienga in Sunningdale while Friday Muleya (Ward 4 Mbare) is set to fight it out against former ZBC disc jockey Eric Knight and Restoration of Human Rights chairman Sten Zvorwadza for the Mbare seat.
Meanwhile, the Welshman Ncube-led MDC secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga yesterday said: "Why should the party (MDC-T) make different rules for different people? We hear some of them (standing committee members) threw parties at the weekend to celebrate that they would not be challenged in primaries."
In her party, Misihairabwi-Mushonga said there would be no "sacred cows" with all seats from council to the presidium open for challenge.
Source - newsday
