News / National
Chamisa's sweet victory against Mwonzora
12 Apr 2015 at 05:21hrs | Views
The decision by the MDC-T not to participate in the by-elections is a manifestation of renewed factional fights within the bickering opposition which could affect the party's unity in the near future, The Standard reported.
After re-calling 21 rebel MPs who left the party to join the Tendai Biti Renewal project, the party's national council on Friday voted not to participate in the by-elections slated for June 10 demanding that electoral reforms be implemented first.
Insiders said the decision not to participate was made along factional lines between losing aspiring secretary-general Nelson Chamisa and the winner Douglas Mwonzora.
Chamisa, according to party insiders, "vigorously" campaigned against the decision to participate, arguing that it was "insignificant" as "the party was bound to lose the polls given the electoral environment".
The campaign had the support of party leader Morgan Tsvangirai although "he did not make it public".
The source said the former organising secretary had lobbied the national council members to object the move to participate in 14 by-elections which could have seen Mwonzora and a number of losing MPs in the July 31 2013 elections bouncing back into Parliarment.
"Mwonzora wants to be an MP and he had seen this as an opportunity to go into parliament," said a source.
"Mwonzora had in his camp, Theresa Makone, Obert Gutu, Lynnette Karenyi and Thokozani Khupe, all of whom had seen the by-elections as an opportunity to bounce back in parliament," the source added.
"Right now they are lobbying against Mwonzora's push to fill the Manicaland seat which fell vacant after the recalling of Patrick Chitaka as senator. They want the provincial chair, David Chimhini to take over the seat," the source added.
During the November congress last year, Mwonzora squared off with Chamisa for the post of secretary-general which had been left vacant following the departure of Biti and his team to form the ill-fated Renewal Team.
When the decision to expel Biti and his camp was made, Gutu, according to sources, had expressed interest to take over Harare East seat which was occupied by Biti.
The source said Makone, who lost her Harare North seat to Zanu-PF in the July 2013 polls, had hoped to replace Evelyn Masaiti as proportional representation MP for Harare.
But sources said the opposing camp said Makone was likely to be challenged by Susan Matsunga who was on the original list for Harare.
After re-calling 21 rebel MPs who left the party to join the Tendai Biti Renewal project, the party's national council on Friday voted not to participate in the by-elections slated for June 10 demanding that electoral reforms be implemented first.
Insiders said the decision not to participate was made along factional lines between losing aspiring secretary-general Nelson Chamisa and the winner Douglas Mwonzora.
Chamisa, according to party insiders, "vigorously" campaigned against the decision to participate, arguing that it was "insignificant" as "the party was bound to lose the polls given the electoral environment".
The campaign had the support of party leader Morgan Tsvangirai although "he did not make it public".
The source said the former organising secretary had lobbied the national council members to object the move to participate in 14 by-elections which could have seen Mwonzora and a number of losing MPs in the July 31 2013 elections bouncing back into Parliarment.
"Mwonzora wants to be an MP and he had seen this as an opportunity to go into parliament," said a source.
"Mwonzora had in his camp, Theresa Makone, Obert Gutu, Lynnette Karenyi and Thokozani Khupe, all of whom had seen the by-elections as an opportunity to bounce back in parliament," the source added.
"Right now they are lobbying against Mwonzora's push to fill the Manicaland seat which fell vacant after the recalling of Patrick Chitaka as senator. They want the provincial chair, David Chimhini to take over the seat," the source added.
During the November congress last year, Mwonzora squared off with Chamisa for the post of secretary-general which had been left vacant following the departure of Biti and his team to form the ill-fated Renewal Team.
When the decision to expel Biti and his camp was made, Gutu, according to sources, had expressed interest to take over Harare East seat which was occupied by Biti.
The source said Makone, who lost her Harare North seat to Zanu-PF in the July 2013 polls, had hoped to replace Evelyn Masaiti as proportional representation MP for Harare.
But sources said the opposing camp said Makone was likely to be challenged by Susan Matsunga who was on the original list for Harare.
Source - The Standard
