MDC-T Mashonaland East province concedes defeat

MDC-T Mashonaland East Province has taken full responsibility for the party's dismal loss to Zanu-PF in the July 31 harmonised elections, bringing to two, the number of the party's provinces that have openly conceded defeat to the revolutionary party at a time party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai is harping on rigging claims to divert attention from his weaknesses

MDC-T Matabeleland North Province last month admitted that Zanu-PF won the elections and blamed its defeat on the imposition of candidates, a weak election manifesto and shambolic structures, dealing a body blow to Mr Tsvangirai's rigging claims.

MDC-T's failure to substantiate the rigging claims has since led some of the party's sympathisers, among them executive director of the British Royal African Society Richard Dowden, British establishment journalist Peta Thorncroft, MDC-T advisor Professor Brian Raftopolous to acknowledge that Zanu-PF won the elections on the back of sound policies and a sleek campaign.

MDC-T Mashonaland East chapter met at Harvest House on Monday where over 30 provincial executive members reviewed the party's poll performance.

Zanu-PF won 22 of the 23 seats in Mashonaland East Province, with the other seat going to independent candidate Cde Jonathan Samukange, who pitched for but failed to run on the Zanu-PF ticket, but has since declared himself de jure independent but de facto Zanu-PF.

In the 2008 polls, Zanu-PF had 19 seats, with MDC-T clinching the other four. Insiders who attended the meeting said the provincial leadership blamed the party's imposition of candidates and disharmony among the leadership for the heavy defeat.

"The provincial executive agreed that even if there was rigging of some sort, the party rigged on its own by imposing candidates during the primary elections," said a source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"It was also agreed in the meeting that disunity and factionalism at leadership level in the province were the other reasons why the party failed."

Another source added that the meeting was heated as leaders accused each other of being behind the loss.
"Organising secretary Tapfumaneyi Muzoda said disharmony between provincial chairman Mr Piniel Denga and provincial secretary Mr James Jowa was the other reason why the party fared badly.

"But (Mr) Denga said it was because of factionalism as (Mr) Jowa was witch-hunting him. (Mr) Masimba Ruzvidzo who is the secretary for projects in the party said it lost because the (party) president (Mr Tsvangirai) was surrounded by power-hungry people.

"Other members said the top leadership was responsible for the loss due to factionalism, disunity and lack of preparedness."

Mr Denga acknowledged that the meeting discussed the party's performance in the recent elections.

"We touched on the issue in passing, but we did not necessarily say the party was responsible for the loss. We are still convinced that the elections were rigged.

"We reviewed the challenges that we faced. Imposition of candidates can be found in all political parties. Some people can say there was imposition even if they lost the primary elections genuinely.

"To say that we lost the elections in the province because of differences between two people does not make sense. In the meeting, we agreed that we have to consolidate our structures and give the way forward because this is not the last election," said Mr Denga.

The MDC-T national leadership was accused of imposing candidates throughout the country. MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora said he was still to see the minutes of the meeting.

"I have not heard the Mashonaland East provincial executive saying that (that the elections were not rigged). I have not seen the minutes of their meeting. I could refer you to the provincial chairman (Mr Denga) but definitely those are not sentiments of the province.

"We want to know who said that specifically. We do not harass people for saying that. For instance in Matabeleland North an official made such sentiments but we did not harass them," said Mr Mwonzora.

The Matabeleland North provincial leadership blamed the party's defeat on the imposition of candidates, a weak election manifesto and shambolic structures.

Despite attempts by the MDC-T national leadership to scandalize the elections saying Zanu-PF rigged the elections, the claim did not find any takers except for the United States, Britain and its dominion Australia who have been receiving contrived dispatches from their envoys who are beholden to MDC-T politics.