MDC-T shields bigwigs in primaries

contested in primary elections.

Other senior members who are not in the standing committee, but who command respect in the party were also shielded from possible embarrassment.The standing committee, which is chaired by the party’s leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, is made up of 13 people and it is the party’s highest decision-making organ.

Only Abednico Bhebhe who sits in the committee and is the MDC-T deputy organising secretary is facing challenge from Nomathemba Ndlovu.

The Herald is reliably informed that the standing committee agreed to shield its senior members and a national council was convened to rubber stamp the decision.

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A final list of prospective candidates approved by the MDC-T national council meeting held on April 4 show that all the standing committee members have been spared from internal polls. MDC-T sitting Members of Parliament are expected to undergo a controversial confirmation process where they are supposed to get two thirds majority backing before subjected to primary elections.

Some MDC-T sitting MPs are facing tight competition from as much as five to 10 aspiring candidates but all standing committee members have sailed without any challenge.
In cases where junior party members dared to challenge standing committee members, they were either disqualified or pushed to other constituencies.

The party’s national chairman Lovemore Moyo , secretary general Tendai Biti, organising secretary Nelson Chamisa, women’s assembly chairperson Theresa Makone, deputy secretary general Tapiwa Mashakada and deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma are among other senior members who have qualified without any challenge.
Solomon Madzore who is the MDC-T youth assembly chairperson also qualified uncontested for the Dzivarasekwa constituency.

A Mr Erick Mandisonza who dared to challenge the party’s spokesperson for the Nyanga North constituency was disqualified while Annet Jangano was also barred from challenging Mr Tapiwa Mashakada for the Hatfield constituency.

Mr Elias Mudzuri who is a national council member is also standing unopposed after his rivals Sifelani Moyo and Paddington Japajapa were disqualified.
MDC-T secretary for international relations Mr Jameson Timba who is also a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office also qualified unopposed for Mount Pleasant.

In Bulawayo Mr Gorden Moyo qualified for Makokoba constituency unopposed while the party’s former chairperson for the youth assembly Thamsanqa Mahlangu is standing unchallenged for Nkulumane constituency.

Meanwhile, MDC-T had budgeted US$75 960 for the primaries that were supposed to be held last Saturday. The party allocated the amount to the party’s security department which was tasked to oversee the running of the elections. A US$10 food allowance was allocated to all people who would be manning the elections and a US$50 was allocated for accommodation.
Fuel allocation of 100 litres and 120 litres was also allocated to various teams that will supervise the elections.