PM in Byo fire fighting

Mr Tsvangirai is expected to arrive in the city at 8am to hold a series of meetings with different organisations in a bid to improve the waning support base.

He is expected to meet the MDC-T provincial structures, civic organisations such as Bulawayo Agenda, churches, the business community, students and farmers.

Mr Tsvangirai whose programme stretches up to tomorrow would also visit Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) offices and seek audience with unions at the National Railways of Zimbabwe, who observers say are controlled by MDC-T activists.

“PM Tsvangirai’s visit in Bulawayo is to try and resolve the in-fighting and factionalism within the party structures especially in Makokoba where we had candidates like Mr Gorden Moyo imposing themselves despite protests by members,” said an MDC-T official.

Party members in Makokoba have, however, vowed to fight the MDC-T’s imposition of Mr Moyo through a protest vote during the harmonised elections. According to the party’s rules, Makokoba had been reserved for women candidates.

Party officials blamed Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe of rigging the outcome by announcing that she would not contest for the seat, after the deadline for submission of applications for primaries had elapsed.

They said her move was meant to clear the way for Mr Moyo, who is said to be her ally.
Mr Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Mr Luke Tamborinyoka said his boss’ visit was purely to meet cross-sectional groups and interact with stakeholders.

“The Prime Minister’s visit in Bulawayo is purely to meet cross-sectional groups and interact with stakeholders so that he gets an update on what is happening in the country,” he said.

Mr Tamborinyoka said the meeting with the business community would be the main agenda.
Last month, MDC-T conducted its primary elections and confirmation process in Bulawayo amid chaos as scores of members were turned away.

Others boycotted the internal polls in protest over the manner in which officials handled the exercise.
Disgruntled members accused officials in the organising committee of being selective and discriminatory in the manner they handled the process.

MDC-T primary elections in Bulawayo also exposed the deep seated factionalism in the party with observers saying they turned out to be a contest between the factions led by Mr Moyo and Mzilikazi Senator, Mr Matson Hlalo.

The exercise confirmed six sitting MPs as candidates for the party in the parliamentary elections while three others, Ms Dorcas Sibanda (Bulawayo Central), Mr Felix Mafa Magalela Sibanda (Magwegwe) and Samuel Sandla Khumalo (Mpopoma-Pelandaba) could not be confirmed. Party insiders said the Hlalo faction had taken a lead as most of their members were set to contest the harmonised elections.