adminMidlands Correspondent
GWERU Mayor Councillor Tedious Chimombe is set to contest the Gweru Urban constituency as an independent candidate as disgruntled MDC-T members have reportedly approached him to gun for the seat. Clr Chimombe was fired from MDC-T over allegations of corruption together with four other Gweru councillors.
He later had a stint as the interim chairman of a new political party, the United Movement for Democracy (UMD) before he quit.
In an interview yesterday, Clr Chimombe said he would be filing his nomination papers for the Gweru Urban seat after being persuaded by some senior MDC-T members who were growing impatient with the intra-party divisions rocking the party in the province.
“My position was that I should quit politics for some time to concentrate on my business but I have been forced to reconsider this decision following several approaches from some MDC-T members who are now tired of the infighting which is rocking their party in the province,” said Clr Chimombe who runs a fleet of commuter omnibuses.
Clr Chimombe said he was recently approached by a delegation of senior MDC-T officials from Midlands South province who were not happy with how the party’s primary elections were conducted especially in Gweru Urban.
Former Gweru Mayor and MDC-T national director of elections, Mr Sesil Zvidzayi won the party primaries for Gweru Urban after he controversially beat the incumbent MP, Mr Roderick Rutsvara.
He said he has since started campaigning and was being flattered by the support he was receiving from MDC-T members.
“The MDC-T party is in tatters and I am assured of victory in Gweru Urban. I am raring to go and am eagerly waiting for the election day,” said Clr Chimombe.
He took a swipe at Mr Zvidzayi whom he said was long rejected by Gweru residents.
“I am happy that the person who will represent MDC-T in the province was long rejected by Gweru residents and I am assured of a landslide victory. I urge all Gweru residents who want development and MDC-T members who are tired of the squabbles in their beleaguered party to vote for me. I have done a lot in improving service delivery in Gweru which had gone to the dogs during Zvidzayi’s era,” said Clr Chimombe.
Contacted for comment MDC-T Midlands South provincial spokesperson, Mr James Tsuro said he was not aware that some party members visited Clr Chimombe.
“I am not aware of that, maybe it’s just a political gimmick by Clr Chimombe which is normal with politics,” he said
Online Reporter