News / National
Welshman Ncube led MDC to hold secret elections
08 Nov 2013 at 19:58hrs | Views
MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube Matabeleland South provincial members are jostling to replace fired chairman Petros Mukwena and Siyabonga Malandu Ncube who resigned last week in 'secret elections'.
Elections are set for Sunday in Bulawayo but the arrangement has infuriated Matabeleland South members.
Eying the posts are former Gwanda mayor Lionel DeNecker and Pilate Ndebele, Bulilima East candidate in the July 31 elections.
However, party sources say Themba Madevu, former Inzisa Rural District council chairman is being lobbied to stand as decoy to split votes that are likely to go to Ndebele.
It is said DeNecker camp want to split votes for Ndebele and Madevu camp.
"DeNecker has been informing members mainly from Umzingwane and Beitbridge who are in support of Secretary General Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga continued stay.
"It's likely that a few members will attend the elections set for Bulawayo a place that is more than 100 kilometers away from Gwanda" said the source.
Also on Sunday, elections will be done to replace Malandu in the National Executive.
Nqabutho Dube is eyemarked to replace Malandu as National Executive member but will contest Jonathan Sibanda.
Dube contested in Umzingwane as parliamentary candidate.
Sibanda is current Matabeleland South provincial organising secretary since formation of unted MDC in 1999.
The party has been in recent months rocked by expulsion and resignations of senior members of Misihairabwi-Mushonga. Last month, its provincial chairman Petros Mukwena was fired.
Last week, the party expelled outspoken former Bulawayo councilor Alderman Charles Mpofu for bringing the name of the party into disrepute among other charges.
Over the weekend, former Insiza South MP Siyabonga Malandu Ncube also resigned from the party citing irreconcilable differences with leadership.
The party has also lost its chief of International Relations Sondon Mugaradzikwa who resigned saying he needs time to concentrate on academic studies.
Elections are set for Sunday in Bulawayo but the arrangement has infuriated Matabeleland South members.
Eying the posts are former Gwanda mayor Lionel DeNecker and Pilate Ndebele, Bulilima East candidate in the July 31 elections.
However, party sources say Themba Madevu, former Inzisa Rural District council chairman is being lobbied to stand as decoy to split votes that are likely to go to Ndebele.
It is said DeNecker camp want to split votes for Ndebele and Madevu camp.
"DeNecker has been informing members mainly from Umzingwane and Beitbridge who are in support of Secretary General Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga continued stay.
"It's likely that a few members will attend the elections set for Bulawayo a place that is more than 100 kilometers away from Gwanda" said the source.
Nqabutho Dube is eyemarked to replace Malandu as National Executive member but will contest Jonathan Sibanda.
Dube contested in Umzingwane as parliamentary candidate.
Sibanda is current Matabeleland South provincial organising secretary since formation of unted MDC in 1999.
The party has been in recent months rocked by expulsion and resignations of senior members of Misihairabwi-Mushonga. Last month, its provincial chairman Petros Mukwena was fired.
Last week, the party expelled outspoken former Bulawayo councilor Alderman Charles Mpofu for bringing the name of the party into disrepute among other charges.
Over the weekend, former Insiza South MP Siyabonga Malandu Ncube also resigned from the party citing irreconcilable differences with leadership.
The party has also lost its chief of International Relations Sondon Mugaradzikwa who resigned saying he needs time to concentrate on academic studies.
Source - zimbabwefocus.com
