News / National
MDC-T official arrested
12 Apr 2013 at 03:06hrs | Views
Zimbabwe police have reportedly arrested one senior MDC-T official in Gweru urban over the weekend for assaulting a fellow party member.
The police yesterday said they were looking for a senior party official who allegedly assaulted a district youth secretary for information and publicity over the selection of candidates in Sanyati during the weekend.
In the Gweru violence, the party's organising secretary John Kadamanja (32) was arrested on Saturday for assaulting Omega Dhilwayo (41).
National police spokesperson Superintendent Paul Nyathi said: "Dhliwayo, who is a vegetable vendor in Gweru, was confronted by Kadamanja accusing him of supporting a rival candidate for Gweru's Ward 8 council seat."
Dhliwayo and Kadamanja are supporting different candidates for the seat.
In Sanyati, police are searching for Norbert Whozhele, who owns Machapaza Bottle Store, for allegedly assaulting Patson Katazo and Admire Machapaza who were drinking beer at the place over the selection of candidates. Supt Nyathi said Whozhele's whereabouts were still unknown after he dissappeared from the scene.
The party's leadership in Sanyati on Thursday last week produced a list of candidates who had qualified to contest primaries starting on April 20. The list indicated that the party's deputy national chairman and aspiring candidate for Sanyati Mr Morgan Komichi would will stand uncontested.
Supt Nyathi said Katazo and Machapaza were assaulted by Whozhele while discussing the list. The intra-party violence comes as a nasty jostling for positions has spawned serious factionalism in MDC-T structures.
In Mashonaland West, the MDC-T has suspended chairperson Mr Japhet Karemba after people snubbed rallies meant to be addressed by party president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mr Tsvangirai was scheduled to address two rallies in Karoi and Banket dubbed "Peace Rallies" ostensibly to mobilise for a "Yes Vote" ahead of the constitutional referendum on March 16. People ignored the rallies, resulting in Mr Tsvangirai seconding low ranking officials to address the few who bothered to attend.
Another rally scheduled to be addressed by party secretary general Mr Tendai Biti was attended by a paltry 300 people at Chinhoyi Stadium.
Mr Biti ended up seconding a low ranking official Mr Charlton Hwande to address the rally, while he met the provincial executive at Orange Grove Motel in the town. The party's provincial information and publicity officer Mr Biggie Haurobi confirmed Mr Karemba's suspension.
The MDC-T now faces a revolt in the province after appointing Chitungwiza Senator and Mr Tsvangirai's longtime ally Mr James Makore as the acting chairperson.
Party supporters are baffled why Mr Makore was made the acting chairperson when comes from another province.
"What justification can one have to make such an absurd decision," said a party member who preferred anonymity.
"We have a lot of party cardres here. What does Makore know about the province? There is no logic at all in that decision."
Party spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora defended the decision, saying "it was the best to make given the circumstances".
In Masvingo, cracks continue to widen in the faction-riddled MDC-T after a group of disgruntled party members recently petitioned the party's national council to investigate alleged manipulation in the submission of nomination papers of some candidates.
Party members aligned to a faction linked to businessman Mr Benard Chiondegwa complain that the national council purged their members through the nomination process. The MDC-T supporters have always been known to engage in political violence ahead of elections.
Last month, MDC-T co-ordinator for policy and research Mr Fortune Gwaze was assaulted at the party's headquarters at Harvest House by rogue party youths.
The youths accused Mr Gwaze, who works at the party offices, of being a Zanu-PF spy.
On March 9, a group of MDC-T supporters accosted a Murehwa District Council official Moses Gwashure accusing him of pulling down the party's posters.
The youths were coming from a meeting addressed by MDC-T deputy secretary general Tapiwa Mashakada.
Other cases of violence were recorded in Zaka East on March 10 when MDC-T held a rally at Zibhowa Business Centre.
At least 10 MDC-T supporters recently appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Peter Tomupei Madhibha facing charges of public violence, which left several people seriously injured and hospitalised.
The police yesterday said they were looking for a senior party official who allegedly assaulted a district youth secretary for information and publicity over the selection of candidates in Sanyati during the weekend.
In the Gweru violence, the party's organising secretary John Kadamanja (32) was arrested on Saturday for assaulting Omega Dhilwayo (41).
National police spokesperson Superintendent Paul Nyathi said: "Dhliwayo, who is a vegetable vendor in Gweru, was confronted by Kadamanja accusing him of supporting a rival candidate for Gweru's Ward 8 council seat."
Dhliwayo and Kadamanja are supporting different candidates for the seat.
In Sanyati, police are searching for Norbert Whozhele, who owns Machapaza Bottle Store, for allegedly assaulting Patson Katazo and Admire Machapaza who were drinking beer at the place over the selection of candidates. Supt Nyathi said Whozhele's whereabouts were still unknown after he dissappeared from the scene.
The party's leadership in Sanyati on Thursday last week produced a list of candidates who had qualified to contest primaries starting on April 20. The list indicated that the party's deputy national chairman and aspiring candidate for Sanyati Mr Morgan Komichi would will stand uncontested.
Supt Nyathi said Katazo and Machapaza were assaulted by Whozhele while discussing the list. The intra-party violence comes as a nasty jostling for positions has spawned serious factionalism in MDC-T structures.
In Mashonaland West, the MDC-T has suspended chairperson Mr Japhet Karemba after people snubbed rallies meant to be addressed by party president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mr Tsvangirai was scheduled to address two rallies in Karoi and Banket dubbed "Peace Rallies" ostensibly to mobilise for a "Yes Vote" ahead of the constitutional referendum on March 16. People ignored the rallies, resulting in Mr Tsvangirai seconding low ranking officials to address the few who bothered to attend.
Another rally scheduled to be addressed by party secretary general Mr Tendai Biti was attended by a paltry 300 people at Chinhoyi Stadium.
Mr Biti ended up seconding a low ranking official Mr Charlton Hwande to address the rally, while he met the provincial executive at Orange Grove Motel in the town. The party's provincial information and publicity officer Mr Biggie Haurobi confirmed Mr Karemba's suspension.
The MDC-T now faces a revolt in the province after appointing Chitungwiza Senator and Mr Tsvangirai's longtime ally Mr James Makore as the acting chairperson.
Party supporters are baffled why Mr Makore was made the acting chairperson when comes from another province.
"What justification can one have to make such an absurd decision," said a party member who preferred anonymity.
"We have a lot of party cardres here. What does Makore know about the province? There is no logic at all in that decision."
Party spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora defended the decision, saying "it was the best to make given the circumstances".
In Masvingo, cracks continue to widen in the faction-riddled MDC-T after a group of disgruntled party members recently petitioned the party's national council to investigate alleged manipulation in the submission of nomination papers of some candidates.
Party members aligned to a faction linked to businessman Mr Benard Chiondegwa complain that the national council purged their members through the nomination process. The MDC-T supporters have always been known to engage in political violence ahead of elections.
Last month, MDC-T co-ordinator for policy and research Mr Fortune Gwaze was assaulted at the party's headquarters at Harvest House by rogue party youths.
The youths accused Mr Gwaze, who works at the party offices, of being a Zanu-PF spy.
On March 9, a group of MDC-T supporters accosted a Murehwa District Council official Moses Gwashure accusing him of pulling down the party's posters.
The youths were coming from a meeting addressed by MDC-T deputy secretary general Tapiwa Mashakada.
Other cases of violence were recorded in Zaka East on March 10 when MDC-T held a rally at Zibhowa Business Centre.
At least 10 MDC-T supporters recently appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Peter Tomupei Madhibha facing charges of public violence, which left several people seriously injured and hospitalised.
Source - Zimpapers
