Opinion / Columnist
Leaked from MDC vote Welshman Ncube 2018 campaign WhatsApp group
07 Nov 2013 at 05:25hrs | Views
As a dedicated cadre of this party I declare that I am no longer going to continue in the debate about the SG issue. My last words would be as I have always stated, the issue was spoilt right from start.
Way before last Christmas some of us were already talking about this thing, we were hated and called Mukwena's babies and viewed as insurgents and sellout when we were simply asking that the issue be brought down to the province for endorsement. We had already campaigned heavily on the ground for people to endorse SG's application to stand in Mat South. We asked for a provincial assembly to endorse ALL proportional representation candidates and people saw non existent jackals behind us.
Rest assured province was going to endorse the application(s) and no one was going to have a foot to stand on in complaining.
From there on the whole issue was made a secret and when we continued speaking we were accused of talking party private information and we were victimised broadly and even marked out of some meetings and openings. We were advised to keep quite and leave the talking to Prov Chairman which he did leading to his suspension for this and other issues and eventually his dismissal.
After nomination court when names became public knowledge we were the very people going around campaigning for the entire proportional representation list for the good of the party. Unspoken truth is that we faced heavy resistance on the ground based on the issue. The MDC T in Mat South gained extensive mileage in decampaigning us using the very same issue. We tried our all to convince people giving them as much back ground information about SG as possible to bring her close to the people and the province.
After election when disaster struck and we could only get one position in the province and that position fell to the SG tempers rose again. These were primarily ignited by the unexpected heavy loss in the province and meaning none of the immediate people from the province made it to parliament. People began feeling let down by being represented by Priscillia who to them wasn't quite from the province and so felt might not quite identify with the province.
We immediately started asking for a provincial assembly to quell the tempers by evaluating the election disaster and explaining broadly the benefit of having Priscilla in parliament for the party as a whole not Mat South only. This call for the meeting was also viewed as rebellious and was ignored. People got restless and felt unlistened to and resorted to speaking through the press and it conscientised a lot more people even those that really didn't care about the issue.
Matebeleland felt let down so did Mashonaland who began feeling the issue is not fair. The result is the enmass resignations and dismissals.
Going forward, we know we are now on a curing exercise of a diseases that was preventable. In curing it priority and consideration must be given to first making a thorough diagnosis of the illness.
What other opportunistic illnesses have we acquired in the process of this illness' manifestation? Is it still at curable stage or its gone chronic? What corrective measures need to be put in place going forward to avoid acquiring the same or similar illnesses. My view is, as we under go "consultative" meetings let us make sure that every consultable person is consulted and maintain consultative meetings as consultative not decision making meetings. When decision making time is reached can a proper and constitutionally composed and comprised body be convened to make the decision.
I for 1 having so dedicated and selflessly campaigned for the SG and several other party candidates using my own resources which I will never recover and still suffer loss of today maintain what I campaigned for. For the benefit and good of this party I really wish we could all as MDC put the party at heart and endorse the decision to have the SG in parliament, but with a big BUT, that in future party structures must be respect and listened to. I also am of the view that an amnesty be extended to all dismissed, suspended and resigned members who are still willing to be brought back to the party unconditionally and those who held any positions of authority be reinstated to their positions. I close my case and declared my unconditional allegiance and dedication to this party.
Ayithelelwe, khokhela Welshman.
Way before last Christmas some of us were already talking about this thing, we were hated and called Mukwena's babies and viewed as insurgents and sellout when we were simply asking that the issue be brought down to the province for endorsement. We had already campaigned heavily on the ground for people to endorse SG's application to stand in Mat South. We asked for a provincial assembly to endorse ALL proportional representation candidates and people saw non existent jackals behind us.
Rest assured province was going to endorse the application(s) and no one was going to have a foot to stand on in complaining.
From there on the whole issue was made a secret and when we continued speaking we were accused of talking party private information and we were victimised broadly and even marked out of some meetings and openings. We were advised to keep quite and leave the talking to Prov Chairman which he did leading to his suspension for this and other issues and eventually his dismissal.
After nomination court when names became public knowledge we were the very people going around campaigning for the entire proportional representation list for the good of the party. Unspoken truth is that we faced heavy resistance on the ground based on the issue. The MDC T in Mat South gained extensive mileage in decampaigning us using the very same issue. We tried our all to convince people giving them as much back ground information about SG as possible to bring her close to the people and the province.
After election when disaster struck and we could only get one position in the province and that position fell to the SG tempers rose again. These were primarily ignited by the unexpected heavy loss in the province and meaning none of the immediate people from the province made it to parliament. People began feeling let down by being represented by Priscillia who to them wasn't quite from the province and so felt might not quite identify with the province.
We immediately started asking for a provincial assembly to quell the tempers by evaluating the election disaster and explaining broadly the benefit of having Priscilla in parliament for the party as a whole not Mat South only. This call for the meeting was also viewed as rebellious and was ignored. People got restless and felt unlistened to and resorted to speaking through the press and it conscientised a lot more people even those that really didn't care about the issue.
Matebeleland felt let down so did Mashonaland who began feeling the issue is not fair. The result is the enmass resignations and dismissals.
Going forward, we know we are now on a curing exercise of a diseases that was preventable. In curing it priority and consideration must be given to first making a thorough diagnosis of the illness.
What other opportunistic illnesses have we acquired in the process of this illness' manifestation? Is it still at curable stage or its gone chronic? What corrective measures need to be put in place going forward to avoid acquiring the same or similar illnesses. My view is, as we under go "consultative" meetings let us make sure that every consultable person is consulted and maintain consultative meetings as consultative not decision making meetings. When decision making time is reached can a proper and constitutionally composed and comprised body be convened to make the decision.
I for 1 having so dedicated and selflessly campaigned for the SG and several other party candidates using my own resources which I will never recover and still suffer loss of today maintain what I campaigned for. For the benefit and good of this party I really wish we could all as MDC put the party at heart and endorse the decision to have the SG in parliament, but with a big BUT, that in future party structures must be respect and listened to. I also am of the view that an amnesty be extended to all dismissed, suspended and resigned members who are still willing to be brought back to the party unconditionally and those who held any positions of authority be reinstated to their positions. I close my case and declared my unconditional allegiance and dedication to this party.
Ayithelelwe, khokhela Welshman.
Source - Author's Name withheld
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