News / National
Chamisa appoints team to investigate claims he rigged polls
08 May 2019 at 08:52hrs | Views
MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa has dispatched a seven member team to investigate claims that he rigged The Bulawayo provincial congress polls to ensure Ndebele candidates lost.
The party held a provincial congress on April 17 ahead of the national congress slated for later this month.
The 12 losing candidates; Messrs Dingilizwe Tshuma, Edwin Ndlovu, Phelela Masuku, Edious Shumba, Charles Moyo, Percy Tapela, Mr Mbuso Siso, Samuel Munsaka, Thamu Ncube, Ms Sinikiwe Mutanda, Ms Jasmine Toffa and Ms Stella Ndlovu have already dismissed the investigation as a sham meant to cleanse Chamisa in the eyes of the world.
"This is a big joke surely how can he appoint people to investigate what he did when he will have the final say on their findings? His handpicked henchmen will obviously do his bidding to make him look good while disadvantaging us," one of the losing candidates told Bulawayo24.com.
The elections were held to nominate candidates for national positions in the MDC Alliance that would be decided in the national congress.
Makokoba Member of Parliament Mr James Sithole won the provincial chairman's post.
The 12 wrote a letter to the party's national executive where they claimed Chamisa the party's organising secretary Mr Amos Chibaya manipulated the elections make sure they lost.
They said the polls were held under undemocratic conditions that were against the party's constitution.
They demanded the nullification of the provincial congress results.
"Chamisa and Chibaya ensured their preferred candidates who do not originate from this region won. In districts like Mpopoma, Emakhandeni and Cowdray Park, where they failed to influence the voting, they made sure elections did not take place. In other districts, elections that were supposed to start at 10 am started more than 14 hours later after midnight when most voters who did not support their candidates had given up. Those who are in their camp appeared to have been tipped beforehand and stuck around," said one of the candidates.
"In some districts, bouncers barred those perceived to be against Chamisa from casting their votes. Less than half of the people who were eligible to vote were able to do so. It's clear there was massive rigging sponsored by president Chamisa. Such things will affect the party's chances of winning anything in Bulawayo at national elections against other parties."
MDC Alliance national spokesperson Jacob Mafume the result of the investigation by the seven member team led by Harare senator Mr Morgan Femai would be ready by Saturday.
He said the result would not affect the national congress.
Femai said the final outcome of the investigation lay with the national executive.
"By Friday everything will be surrendered to the President. As you know we only do recommendations. I can't say much about the case at the moment, It's a party issue directed by the highest office, the national executive," said Femai.
The party held a provincial congress on April 17 ahead of the national congress slated for later this month.
The 12 losing candidates; Messrs Dingilizwe Tshuma, Edwin Ndlovu, Phelela Masuku, Edious Shumba, Charles Moyo, Percy Tapela, Mr Mbuso Siso, Samuel Munsaka, Thamu Ncube, Ms Sinikiwe Mutanda, Ms Jasmine Toffa and Ms Stella Ndlovu have already dismissed the investigation as a sham meant to cleanse Chamisa in the eyes of the world.
"This is a big joke surely how can he appoint people to investigate what he did when he will have the final say on their findings? His handpicked henchmen will obviously do his bidding to make him look good while disadvantaging us," one of the losing candidates told Bulawayo24.com.
The elections were held to nominate candidates for national positions in the MDC Alliance that would be decided in the national congress.
Makokoba Member of Parliament Mr James Sithole won the provincial chairman's post.
The 12 wrote a letter to the party's national executive where they claimed Chamisa the party's organising secretary Mr Amos Chibaya manipulated the elections make sure they lost.
They said the polls were held under undemocratic conditions that were against the party's constitution.
They demanded the nullification of the provincial congress results.
"Chamisa and Chibaya ensured their preferred candidates who do not originate from this region won. In districts like Mpopoma, Emakhandeni and Cowdray Park, where they failed to influence the voting, they made sure elections did not take place. In other districts, elections that were supposed to start at 10 am started more than 14 hours later after midnight when most voters who did not support their candidates had given up. Those who are in their camp appeared to have been tipped beforehand and stuck around," said one of the candidates.
"In some districts, bouncers barred those perceived to be against Chamisa from casting their votes. Less than half of the people who were eligible to vote were able to do so. It's clear there was massive rigging sponsored by president Chamisa. Such things will affect the party's chances of winning anything in Bulawayo at national elections against other parties."
MDC Alliance national spokesperson Jacob Mafume the result of the investigation by the seven member team led by Harare senator Mr Morgan Femai would be ready by Saturday.
He said the result would not affect the national congress.
Femai said the final outcome of the investigation lay with the national executive.
"By Friday everything will be surrendered to the President. As you know we only do recommendations. I can't say much about the case at the moment, It's a party issue directed by the highest office, the national executive," said Femai.
Source - Byo24News
