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Temba Dube Senior Reporter
MDC-T has ignored stiff resistance by party members to go ahead with the controversial primary election re-run in Bulawayo’s Emakhandeni constituency. Ward 10 councillor, Prince Dube, won the right to represent the party in the National Assembly elections beating seven other candidates in primaries last month.
An election report presented to the party by officials who presided over the election, led by Ms Jessie Majome, showed that the election proceeded smoothly without irregularities.
Party members yesterday vowed to boycott the re-run that has been set for today.
“We voted for Dube. We know the re-run is just a ploy to impose Reverend Useni (Sibanda). If the party leaders wants him so badly they should simply announce him as their ‘imposed candidate.’ We will stay away from the election because if we attend, we would be giving a semblance of legitimacy to the most undemocratic occurrence in the party’s history,” said an official.
The official said that the party’s national chairman, Mr Lovemore Moyo delegated the responsibility of conducting the re-run to his deputy Mr Morgan Komichi, who reportedly refused to carry out the task, citing irregularities.
“We are told Lovemore ( Moyo) was in Nigeria when he called to give the directive last week, because he was afraid to do it himself. However, Mr Komichi flatly refused to conduct the re-run saying the electoral report was clear and there were no grounds for a re-election,” said a party source.
Officials in Bulawayo alleged that only one member of the party in the province, Rev Sibanda seemed to know there would be a re-run.
“After the aborted attempt at a re-election two weeks ago, we thought the matter had been put to rest. However, Useni continued campaigning. It seems he knew something that we did not. We are told no one has received a written instruction for the re-run. It was verbally communicated to candidates today and that is highly unprocedural,” said a party member.
Another party member said Mr Sibanda was favoured by party leaders because he used to be MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s spiritual mentor.
“We know the result for the re-run has been pre-determined. All genuine MDC-T members have resolved to boycott the election. We thought power was with the people but this open rigging is proving otherwise. The party is now a private company where individuals can impose what they want on the majority. They can put their candidate and we shall meet each other when we vote in the harmonised election. We shall not vote for their candidate,” said the official.
The re-run was initially scheduled for 16 June but it was hastily abandoned after placard waving and slogan chanting party members chased away a team that had been sent to conduct the elections.
They were rescheduled for last Saturday but the date was changed to Sunday, then Monday, before the party leadership became quiet about the issue.
“The party leaders know they are doing something wrong hence this shifting of goal posts. They have finally timed the re-run in such a way that their candidate would be announced just in time to beat the Nomination Court deadline on Friday thereby effectively ruling out an appeal,” said an angry official.
Mr Moyo and Rev Sibanda could not be reached for comment.
However, MDC-T organising secretary for Bulawayo, Mr Albert Mhlanga confirmed that a re-run would be held today.
“Those who are blaming Useni are misplaced because he will not be contesting in the re-run. The person who filed a complaint is the man who came second to Clr Dube in the initial election, a Mr D Tshuma,” said Mr Mhlanga.
He said the party felt that Clr Dube had organised the demonstration that prevented the re-run from taking place on 16 June.
“You should never demonstrate against your leaders. That is gross indiscipline. He can win tomorrow and become a short-lived MP after we recall him. We know the people who came to you and disciplinary measures will be taken against them,” said Mr Mhlanga who declined to make a direct comment on the electoral report that showed the elections were conducted well.
Online Reporter