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heavyweights after its national council barred them from contesting in parliamentary constituenciesin which they expressed an interest because they are reserved by females.
The officials include Youth Assembly chairperson Mr Solomon Madzore and Bulawayo provincial chairperson Mr Gorden Moyo.
Mr Madzore was eyeing Dzivaresekwa which is being held by Ms Evelyn Masaiti, while Mr Moyo wanted to stand in Makokoba which was won by deputy party president Ms Thokozani Khupe, who is also Deputy Prime Minister.
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora yesterday said the decision was part of the party’s objective to achieve 50-50 gender representation.
“The national council resolved that all those seats which are held by women will be contested by women only at the primary level,” said Mr Mwonzora.
“Male candidates are not allowed to challenge those women because we do not want to reduce the number of seats held by women. Those candidates who had eyed those seats will be automatically dropped from the race.”
Mr Mwonzora said 10 out of 11 female legislators had been challenged by men at the application level.
He said MDC-T women’s assembly chairperson Mrs Theresa Makone’s Harare North was the only female held constituency that had not been challenged by men.
Ms Khupe and Ms Masaiti did not apply to contest their seats, preferring proportional representation seats for the 60 reserved seats that are provided for in the draft constitution.
“It was unwise of Gorden to rush to apply to stand in Makokoba when the constituency had not been officially opened for contest,” said a source in the party.
“It looks like he is the only one who knew that the seat was open because no one else applied.
“Obviously MaKhupe did not apply after realising that she was not going to win.
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“People in Bulawayo were surprised when they saw Gorden’s application at Harvest House when his application did not come through the district.
“All the other applications went through the district because the district was supposed to recommend the particular interested candidate.”
Another source said Mr Moyo had failed to explain his situation at the party’s provincial meeting on Saturday.
“Moyo is the one who actually briefed the province about the decision of the national council,” he said.
“Someone asked what he was going to do since he had expressed interest in standing in Makokoba, but he did not respond.
“This is a lesson to the party that we should not keep hand-picking people to represent us. Leaders should come from the grassroots and not the top.”
Mr Moyo, who is also the Minister of State Enterprises and Parastatals, claimed that he was the sitting MP for the constituency since he had been appointed in 2009 to replace Ms Khupe when she was appointed deputy prime minister.
But Parliament still recognises Ms Khupe as the legislator for Makokoba constituency.
“At the inception of the inclusive Government, the MDC-T appointed me as an MP through Makokoba constituency so in terms of the GPA, Makokoba constituency is not a female constituency,” said Mr Moyo.
“Those who are saying it is a female constituency are ignorant. Ignorance is a disease that needs to be treated so we will treat them with information. I became an MP through Makokoba.”
In Kadoma Central, seven senior party officials among them three district leaders, two councillors and a ward chairperson were barred from challenging Mrs Editor Matamisa.
Two male district officials who wanted to challenge Ms Jessie Majome in Harare West were also blocked, while a youth treasurer in Bulawayo wanted to challenge Ms Dorcas Sibanda in Bulawayo Central.
Meanwhile, confusion continued to reign in the MDC-T in Bulawayo after the provincial leadership reportedly reversed a decision to bar Mr Artwell Sibanda from contesting the Pumula House of Assembly seat in primary elections.
Mr Sibanda, who is the MDC-T national chairman Mr Lovemore Moyo’s personal assistant, had reportedly been barred from contesting by Mr Gorden Moyo.
Mr Gorden Moyo denied there was a fallout between himself, party members and Mr Moyo.
Online Reporter