News / National
MDC-T in 29 Parly seat vote split
28 Jul 2013 at 05:36hrs | Views
A total of 29 MDC-T members will stand as independent candidates in the National Assembly elections this Wednesday while 28 others are also seeking to take the same rebellious route to council.
This emerged as the Independent Candidates Alliance (ICA), comprising mainly disgruntled senior MDC-T officials, gave the strongest indication that the divisions rocking the MDC-T point to a major defeat for the party.
Information gathered from Zimbabwe Electoral Commission lists and sources in the MDC-T information department shows that the independent candidates will challenge their MDC-T colleagues for National Assembly seats in Manicaland (seven); Bulawayo (five); Matabeleland North (four); Matabeleland South (three); the Midlands (three); Mashonaland West (three); Harare (two); Masvingo (one) and Mashonaland East (one).
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora confirmed the development.
"It is not a good thing for us in the elections. We know they will split the vote; they have their people who will vote for them," he said.
"As for the presidential candidate, it is certain that they will vote for President Robert Mugabe. It is only that they are being selfish. These disgruntled candidates should listen."
Among the prominent cases of double candidates are in Manicaland.
The party has two candidates for Makoni Central, namely Mr Patrick Sagandira and Dr Simba Makoni. In Dangamvura-Chikanga, Mr Giles Mutsekwa and Mr Arnold Tsunga are contesting on the same party ticket.
National Constitutional Assembly official Mr Blessing Vava said indiscipline and a huge appetite for power were beginning to gnaw at the MDC-T. "The MDC-T has been exposed as a political party that lacks discipline and is led by power hungry people. They have no one to blame if they lose this time around because of double candidates," he said.
"The problem emanated mainly from the imposition of candidates by the national leadership, especially (Morgan) Tsvangirai who has been alienating popular candidates for his faithful. For example, there is the Mutsekwa-Tsunga case, among others."
Mr Vava accused Mr Tsvangirai of dictatorial tendencies.
"Mr Tsvangirai cannot even decide. How can you support losing candidates? A case in point is in Sunningdale where a candidate who got 24 votes was endorsed as the official candidate ahead of the one who had nearly 200.
"His dictatorial tendencies are now manifesting; it's all about him and nothing else."
This emerged as the Independent Candidates Alliance (ICA), comprising mainly disgruntled senior MDC-T officials, gave the strongest indication that the divisions rocking the MDC-T point to a major defeat for the party.
Information gathered from Zimbabwe Electoral Commission lists and sources in the MDC-T information department shows that the independent candidates will challenge their MDC-T colleagues for National Assembly seats in Manicaland (seven); Bulawayo (five); Matabeleland North (four); Matabeleland South (three); the Midlands (three); Mashonaland West (three); Harare (two); Masvingo (one) and Mashonaland East (one).
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora confirmed the development.
"It is not a good thing for us in the elections. We know they will split the vote; they have their people who will vote for them," he said.
"As for the presidential candidate, it is certain that they will vote for President Robert Mugabe. It is only that they are being selfish. These disgruntled candidates should listen."
The party has two candidates for Makoni Central, namely Mr Patrick Sagandira and Dr Simba Makoni. In Dangamvura-Chikanga, Mr Giles Mutsekwa and Mr Arnold Tsunga are contesting on the same party ticket.
National Constitutional Assembly official Mr Blessing Vava said indiscipline and a huge appetite for power were beginning to gnaw at the MDC-T. "The MDC-T has been exposed as a political party that lacks discipline and is led by power hungry people. They have no one to blame if they lose this time around because of double candidates," he said.
"The problem emanated mainly from the imposition of candidates by the national leadership, especially (Morgan) Tsvangirai who has been alienating popular candidates for his faithful. For example, there is the Mutsekwa-Tsunga case, among others."
Mr Vava accused Mr Tsvangirai of dictatorial tendencies.
"Mr Tsvangirai cannot even decide. How can you support losing candidates? A case in point is in Sunningdale where a candidate who got 24 votes was endorsed as the official candidate ahead of the one who had nearly 200.
"His dictatorial tendencies are now manifesting; it's all about him and nothing else."
Source - sundaymail
