Disgruntled MDC-T supporters storm party headquarters

Scores of disgruntled MDC-T supporters on Friday besieged the party's headquarters at Harvest House, protesting what they said was the imposition of candidates by the leadership.

SW Radio Africa correspondent Simon Muchemwa said more than 100 protesters stormed Harvest House demanding answers after Elias Jembere, the MDC-T MP for Epworth, was confirmed as the party's parliamentary candidate after allegedly losing during the primaries.

The Epworth primary election was characterised by violence and skirmishes which saw some of the contestants fleeing with the ballot boxes, leading to the process being abandoned.

Muchemwa said the protesters are unhappy with what they see as the MDC-T leadership's attempt to protect losing sitting MPs by citing irregularities and re-running the primaries at a later date.

"They say the party is repeating the polling process using people who are not in the structures, and therefore ineligible to vote. Although MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora did not confirm this, he acknowledged that there were problems within the party which he attributed to "disgruntled elements."

Reports also indicate that MDC-T national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa was targeted by some party activists, who wanted to beat him up accusing him of spearheading the imposition of candidates.

Muchemwa said: "There are accusations that it is Chamisa's faction within the party which is using ineligible party members vote and boost the numbers for their preferred candidates. He had to be whisked away to safety to save him from the party supporters."

There are suggestions that Chamisa leads a faction that is aligned to party president Morgan Tsvangirai while party secretary general Tendai Biti is said to be in a rival faction.

Since the MDC-T primary elections started a month ago, there have been reports of skirmishes in Mutare where sitting MP Giles Mutsekwa's supporters have been accused of violence towards fellow party member and aspiring candidate Arnold Tsunga's supporters.

In Vungu, Lower Gweru, and in Bulawayo province, some losing parliamentary hopefuls have said that the voting process was rigged in favour of candidates preferred by the party leadership.