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Pamela Shumba Chronicle Reporter
CONFUSION continues to reign in MDC-T with the party’s leadership ordering a re-run of primary elections in two constituencies in Bulawayo.
The re-run will be held in Entumbane/Emakhandeni and Nketa constituencies this weekend following disgruntlement among party members over the manner in which the polls were held last month.
In Entumbane/Emakhandeni constituency, Councillor Price Dube won the election to take part in the harmonised elections after beating Mr Useni Sibanda, a former journalist.
In Nketa Mr Phelela Masuku beat Mr Mandla Sibanda, Mr Brain Ncube, Sergeant Maoko and Khumbulani Sibanda.
Sources who spoke to Chronicle said factionalism was the cause for the re-run of the primaries as the Mr Gorden Moyo faction was not happy that the Senator Matson Hlalo faction won.
“We know that the party has called for a re-run in the two constituencies because some bigwigs in the party did not want Dube and Masuku to win the elections because of factionalism that is seriously affecting the party.
“It is also known in the party that Useni Sibanda is one of President Tsvangirai’s favourites in Bulawayo and they did not expect him to lose the election. Now they have called for a re-run so that they rig the elections and make him win. Sibanda belongs to the Moyo faction,” said a party member.
Another member blamed the party’s provincial chairman Mr Moyo and Senator Hlalo for fanning divisions.
“This confusion was caused by the two factions that were created by Hlalo and Moyo. There is no unity in the party because every member belongs to one of the factions.
“Now the issue of factionalism has also promoted tribalism, which is also tearing the party apart,” said the member.
Observers say the primary polls were a contest between the two factions.
Six sitting MPs were confirmed as candidates for the party while three others, Ms Dorcas Sibanda (Bulawayo Central), Mr Felix Mafa Magalela Sibanda (Magwegwe) and Samuel Sandla Khumalo (Mpopoma-Pelandaba) failed to get confirmation.
The factions held a bloody campaign in the run up to the 2011 MDC-T congress, which left a number of party members hospitalised.
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