MDC restricted to 32 seats

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Professor Welshman Ncube-led MDC will not field candidates outside the agreed 32 constituencies allocated to it in the MDC Alliance, the party’s secretary general, Ms Miriam Mushayi, has said.

Ms Mushayi revealed this in a memorandum to the party’s provincial chairpersons which also stated that aspiring candidates should start forwarding their applications for vetting.

Her memo follows contradictory statements by MDC-T secretary general Mr Douglas Mwonzora who has previously said the MDC-T will field candidates in all the country’s constituencies. Mr Mwonzora was quickly shot down by the opposition party’s leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai who assured his MDC Alliance partners that the MDC-T was still bound by Alliance agreements. MDC was allocated 32 seats under the MDC Alliance.

The MDC-T is divided over the formation of the MDC Alliance with a faction led by its deputy Thokozani Khupe allegedly against the Alliance especially in the Matabeleland region.

Ms Mushayi said no party members would be allowed to run outside the 32 constituencies.

“The constituencies allocated to the MDC by the MDC Alliance agreement from which applications are set out below in respect of each province. No application will be entertained from outside the constituencies allocated to the MDC,” said Ms Mushayi.

MDC will contest in eight constituencies; four in Matabeleland North province and four in Matabeleland South province, six in the Midlands, five in Masvingo and four in Mashonaland East. In Bulawayo, Harare, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Manicaland, the party will have two constituencies in each province.

Ms Mushayi said aspiring MPs should submit their applications on Wednesday next week.

“You are hereby notified that the process of candidate selection will commence on January 3, 2018 and is expected to be completed by 31 January 2018.

Accordingly you are hereby requested to receive applications from interested candidates and forward them to my office for vetting. The closing date for the receipt of applications shall be 14 January 2018,” she said. — @nqotshili