Jockeying for MDC-T UK posts intensifies

The race for the MDC-T provincial leadership is heating up in the UK as aspiring candidates jockey for positions at the external assembly's elections next week Saturday.
SW Radio Africa says it is reliably informed the interim chairman of the UK, Tonderai Samanyanga, will face stiff competition in the assembly's leadership race. The elections are to be overseen by national party chairman, Lovemore Moyo in Leeds.
Samanyanga's challengers are Emily Madamombe, the former deputy chief representative to the UK, and Elliot Pfebve, the losing candidate in the last assembly elections won by Jonathan Chawora in February, 2008.
The new executive is expected to replace the interim team appointed to run the party in 2010, after the provincial executive led by Chawora was suspended for financial irregularities. Previous executives have been disbanded due to infighting.
The UK external assembly has been a hotbed of factional fights that have taken their toll, as evidenced by an exodus of members and voters. Jeff Sango the organising secretary told us on Thursday that the interim executive will meet this weekend to decide on the nominations procedure.
The process of nominating potential leaders is expected to open next week Monday, in preparation for an elective conference, where those vying for the top posts have vowed to change the image of the UK assembly.
Already there is a battle for the control of the UK assembly, with at least three groups emerging in the build-up to next week's elections. Contending factions have in the last two weeks distributed their respective lists of leaders they want elected.
'Vote Emily Tsungai Madamombe for a stable, united, modernised party. Her pledge is to restore the good image of the party in the UK and promote the MDC as international political party brand,' read one of the fliers distributed extensively on the internet.
The use of new media like Facebook and twitter has been extensive in the UK. 'Vote, Tonderai Samanyanga for the UK chairman. My vision is to see a united and progressive UK & Ireland External Assembly that is accountable to its membership, that has respect of its structures and can contribute positively to the building a party of excellence,' was one message from Facebook
Another message from twitter read; 'Vote Tau Chamboko for UK MDC Treasurer. With Mhofu corruption is not negotiable. Corruption is corrosive to members' confidence of the leadership and the party.' Lobbying is taking place in all parts of the UK as different factions try to convince party members to vote in their candidates.
Pfebve, who is gunning for the chair, has made 'forging unity' his top priority to avoid the circumstances that had before led to the disbanding of at least three previous executives due to the infighting.
Jaison Matewu, regarded as the king maker to the faction supporting Samanyanga, said their candidate if elected will work towards building unity in the UK and map out a clear and focused programme that will see the MDC romp to victory in the country's next general elections.
Chaita thinks the MDC is taking the political violence for granted and he wonders why they are not summoning SADC to demand a stop to ZANU PF's brutality, or pull out of the GNU; and Nyathi says hundreds of disabled & visually impaired Zims who fled the country, roam the streets of Joburg begging for money and food as they get no help from the SA govt.