News / National
Gift Banda accused of playing kingmaker
25 May 2018 at 07:15hrs | Views
BULAWAYO Deputy Mayor, Councillor Gift Banda, has been accused of trying to play 'kingmaker' in the MDC-T primary elections in the city.
Clr Banda is accused of using his position as the party's provincial chairman to ensure his cronies win the local government MDC-T primary elections.
Party insiders said Clr Banda does not want strong opponents to win the primary elections as they will be difficult for him to control.
Clr Banda is seeking to represent the Advocate Nelson Chamisa-led MDC-T as its House of Assembly member for Njube-Lobengula Constituency.
He is alleged to be sponsoring the party's youths to cause havoc in some of the party's wards where results are being contested.
The insiders said two rival camps are angling to control developments in the Bulawayo City Council through imposing their preferred candidates to contest council elections.
"Banda has unleashed party youths to disrupt primary elections in wards 16 and 28 in a bid to influence the outcome of the elections. He wants to be the kingmaker in the polls. In ward 16, Ms Mildred Ncube, who is said to be Clr Banda's aunt, beat the incumbent Clr Nephat Sibanda, who came a distant third. In Cowdray Park, the primary elections failed to take place after violence broke out in the ward which is pitting incumbent, Collet Ndhlovu and his stepson, Mr Happyson Ncube," said the source.
He said Banda was against Ndhlovu winning the election as he leads a rival camp in the MDC-T provincial factions.
The source said some party members have raised the issue with the party's leadership to no avail.
"We have raised the issue with our party leadership, hoping they will deal with it. What is happening is that Clr Banda is angling to only include people in his faction. Ms Ncube is known to be his aunt and in Cowdray Park he does not want Clr Ndhlovu to retain his seat as he leads a rival faction.
"In ward three, where the current mayor, Clr Martin Moyo lost, Clr Banda was pushing for Mr Ezweni Sibanda who surprisingly also lost to the eventual winner Mr Tinashe Kambarami, which is why they have advised Clr Moyo to challenge the outcome," said the source.
Clr Banda dismissed the claims saying losers in the election were targeting him because of the position he holds in the party.
He said he has no way of influencing election outcomes as the internal polls were being run by the party's national leadership.
"This is bound to come up when people lose elections. When you are the chairperson anyone who loses an election is bound to cry foul. But I'm not the one who conducts the elections. A chairman of the province does not conduct elections," said Clr Banda.
"They are conducted by the national leadership. I would understand if the election was held by the province, that allegation would make sense. For an election run by the national leadership, how would I put my cronies to win the elections?"
He accused Clr Nephat Sibanda of trying to soil his name.
Clr Banda said Clr Ndhlovu has no one to blame but himself for the violence that occurred in his ward.
Clr Banda is accused of using his position as the party's provincial chairman to ensure his cronies win the local government MDC-T primary elections.
Party insiders said Clr Banda does not want strong opponents to win the primary elections as they will be difficult for him to control.
Clr Banda is seeking to represent the Advocate Nelson Chamisa-led MDC-T as its House of Assembly member for Njube-Lobengula Constituency.
He is alleged to be sponsoring the party's youths to cause havoc in some of the party's wards where results are being contested.
The insiders said two rival camps are angling to control developments in the Bulawayo City Council through imposing their preferred candidates to contest council elections.
"Banda has unleashed party youths to disrupt primary elections in wards 16 and 28 in a bid to influence the outcome of the elections. He wants to be the kingmaker in the polls. In ward 16, Ms Mildred Ncube, who is said to be Clr Banda's aunt, beat the incumbent Clr Nephat Sibanda, who came a distant third. In Cowdray Park, the primary elections failed to take place after violence broke out in the ward which is pitting incumbent, Collet Ndhlovu and his stepson, Mr Happyson Ncube," said the source.
He said Banda was against Ndhlovu winning the election as he leads a rival camp in the MDC-T provincial factions.
"We have raised the issue with our party leadership, hoping they will deal with it. What is happening is that Clr Banda is angling to only include people in his faction. Ms Ncube is known to be his aunt and in Cowdray Park he does not want Clr Ndhlovu to retain his seat as he leads a rival faction.
"In ward three, where the current mayor, Clr Martin Moyo lost, Clr Banda was pushing for Mr Ezweni Sibanda who surprisingly also lost to the eventual winner Mr Tinashe Kambarami, which is why they have advised Clr Moyo to challenge the outcome," said the source.
Clr Banda dismissed the claims saying losers in the election were targeting him because of the position he holds in the party.
He said he has no way of influencing election outcomes as the internal polls were being run by the party's national leadership.
"This is bound to come up when people lose elections. When you are the chairperson anyone who loses an election is bound to cry foul. But I'm not the one who conducts the elections. A chairman of the province does not conduct elections," said Clr Banda.
"They are conducted by the national leadership. I would understand if the election was held by the province, that allegation would make sense. For an election run by the national leadership, how would I put my cronies to win the elections?"
He accused Clr Nephat Sibanda of trying to soil his name.
Clr Banda said Clr Ndhlovu has no one to blame but himself for the violence that occurred in his ward.
Source - chronicle
