Lovemore Moyo left with egg on face

Temba Dube Senior Reporter
OUTGOING Speaker of Parliament and MDC-T national chairperson Mr Lovemore Moyo has been left with egg on the face after his bid to go to parliament at the expense of provincial chairman, Mr Watchy Sibanda, backfired. Mr Moyo used his political muscle to bar the more “popular” Mr Sibanda from contesting against him in Matobo North National Assembly seat when the party held its primary elections.

He used his seniority to stop the primaries and push Mr Sibanda out, forcing him to run for the Senate.

Interestingly Mr Moyo failed to get the parliamentary seat after losing to Zanu-PF’s Cde Never Khanye, while Mr Sibanda went on to be elected into the Senate under proportional representation.

When Mr Moyo had elbowed Mr Sibanda out of the race, party officials in Matobo North said if he had been allowed to contest, Mr Sibanda would have easily thumped the national chairperson.

They labelled Mr Moyo “the worst MP to ever come from Kezi.” They said he had not done anything to develop the constituency since he was elected into parliament in 2000.

Party officials said Mr Moyo did not campaign in the constituency because he took it for granted that everyone would vote for him.

A party official in Matobo North on Tuesday told Chronicle that Mr Moyo got what he deserved.

“He reaped what he had sown. He imposed himself. In fact, all senior members stood unopposed. We had candidates of our choice that we had been working with all along. These seniors were always in Harare and only came here during election time. They looked down upon the ordinary people. We lost because our strategy was flawed. You cannot expect to win when people who are supposed to vote for you do not want you,” said an MDC-T official from the district.

Mr Moyo could not be reached for comment on his mobile phone.

MDC-T standing committee members and those commanding “respect” in the party stood unopposed in the primary elections except for Mr Abednico Bhebhe in Nkayi South.

An MDC-T riddled with infighting went on to conduct chaotic internal polls on its way to being white washed by a well coordinated Zanu-PF.
The revolutionary party won all 13 National Assembly seats in Matabeleland South.