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three former senior MDC members without consulting other partymembers of the party. The MDC-T leader was put in a tight corner by party supporters for imposing former legislators Mr Thandeko Zinti Mkandla (Gwanda North), Ms Nomalanga Khumalo (Umzingwane) and Mr Norman Mpofu (Bulilima East) as candidates for the National Assembly, a move highly opposed by supporters.
The media was barred from covering the meeting, which was meant to “cool down tempers”.
Party members who attended the meeting said they were ordered to switch off their mobile phones so that the “party secrets” would not be leaked like what happened in Plumtree town on Thursday.
In Gwanda, some party members wanted to demonstrate on Friday against the imposition of Mr Mnkandla as they had a petition and placards denigrating him.
However, party insiders said Mr Tsvangirai suppressed the storm by pleading with his supporters to accommodate the three defectors and accept the decision made by the party’s top leadership.
“The party supporters took Mr Tsvangirai to task asking him to pin point, for example, what Mr Mnkandla had done for the people during his term of office as the MP for Gwanda North.
“The Prime Minister had to hold a separate meeting with some disgruntled members who said they did not see any reason why he had chosen Mr Mnkandla who they said had done nothing tangible for them during his term as MP,” said an official.
Contacted for comment on the issue yesterday, Mr Mnkandla confirmed meeting Mr Tsvangirai and some disgruntled members of the party.
“In terms of development to say I did not do anything for the people ngamanga aluhlaza tshoko (that is a lie).
“Actually its just a few people who want to tarnish my image because I have spearhead a number of development projects in my constituency except in Ward 9 where there were some logistical challenges.
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“Those are people who want to gain political mileage through telling lies about me. Actually, I know those people by name,” said Mr Mnkandla.
Mr Tsvangirai also met the Gwanda business community and civil society groups at a local hotel where he is said to have discussed nothing to do with business but appealed for votes.
“We presented our challenges as the business community but all Mr Tsvangirai said was that he had noted the challenges and he will look into them.
“It was clear to us that those were empty promises meant to deceive us into voting for him,” said a businessman.
Meanwhile, MDC leader Professor Welshman Ncube said his party had reserved rights to lay criminal charges against the three defectors who had lied under oath to work for MDC yet since 2008 they had been working for MDC-T but wearing MDC jackets.
Online Reporter