The Sunday News
MDC-T is headed for yet another split ahead of the 2018 elections, with the party reportedly setting up a committee charged with handpicking “suitable” candidates to represent the party, it has been learnt.
The latest developments come amid revelations that some individuals in Bulawayo province were already aligning themselves with senior party officials so as to be nominated to represent the party in the elections.
Confirming the latest developments, the party’s national spokesperson, Mr Obert Gutu, said the committee was simply charged with screening candidates who wanted to represent the party in future elections.
“There is nothing much into that committee. They are simply there to oversee the appointment of candidates to represent the party in future elections. They will be responsible for screening them following party rules, considering things like their time as members in the party.
“While we have formally not yet appointed the members, we have now launched a 365-day recruitment programme which will see us trying to boost our membership from now until July next year,” said Mr Gutu.
“It is just a matter of improving transparency since we are a democratic party. We will obviously consult our membership widely which is why the leadership was in Bulawayo holding a workshop so as to conscientise the leadership and get their views on a number of issues.”
He, however, denied that there was jostling for positions within the party, claiming that the leadership and its members were in unison and were all aware of party procedures.
Impeccable sources revealed that party president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai made the announcement a couple of weeks ago when he was in Bulawayo to lead a workshop to prepare party members for a 365-day long member recruitment drive.
“According to Mr Tsvangirai this committee will be responsible for screening members to ensure that the rightful candidates participate in the elections but in simpler terms this committee has been tasked to choose members who will best represent the party to avoid the embarrassment suffered in 2013.
“So far the party has launched this massive 365-day membership recruitment drive noting that we have lost quite a considerable amount of support since the 2013 elections,” said the party source.
In Bulawayo, the sources further alleged that a group aligned to party vice-president Ms Thokozani Khupe were now positioning themselves to ensure people aligned to their faction make it into the list of representatives to be chosen.
“Dr Mandla Nyathi is already being earmarked to represent the party in Makokoba constituency, where he has already created his own shadow structures to campaign for him. What makes this issue more confusing is that people who are spearheading this move are the same people who were in the forefront of campaigning for certain independent candidates in the 10 June by-elections at the behest of Ms Khupe,” said the party source.
