MDC-T chefs jostle for seats

Insiders said party stalwarts including ministers have declared their intention to pit their strengths against some sitting MP’s even before the nomination process has begun.

In Bulawayo deputy Prime Minister, Thokozani Khupe is said to be eyeing the Bulawayo Central seat, which is presently being held by Dorcas Sibanda.

Sibanda is said to have agreed to make way for her and is now interested in the Mpopoma-Mabutweni constituency, much to the chagrin of incumbent Samuel Khumalo.

“Khupe fears that her popularity in the party is on the wane and she has instead chosen to move from Makokoba to Bulawayo Central which is considered a safe constituency,” said a senior MDC-T official in the province.

Khumalo drew the ire of his party when he was charged with possession of Mbanje in March last year. Sources said they feared Khumalo was also being pushed out for his failure to support Gorden Moyo’s bid for chairmanship of the province. Moyo is an appointee and reportedly gunning for the vacant Entumbane seat.

Matters also came to a head at the recent funeral of the senator for Mabutweni, Gladys Gombami, who herself was fighting to keep the position of chair of the Women’s Assembly caucus in Bulawayo.

Gombami had reportedly fallen out of favour with Khupe and Theresa Makone, who heads the Women’s Assembly. Senator Siphiwe Ncube of Emnganwini revealed the infighting during Gombami’s funeral. She alleged that Gombami died of stress after a meeting of their party’s national council where she was not given a chance to speak.

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Makone is also under fire from a faction opposed to her involvement in Tsvangirai’s controversial marriage to Lorcadia Tembo.The party’s provincial secretary, Reggie Moyo initially dismissed the reports of infighting as rumours and speculation, but later claimed to be  “a bit out of touch”  with happenings in MDC-T.

“It’s just rumours. No one has come formally to the party leadership over such movements,” he said. Midlands province has also been rocked by factionalism with reports that scrambling for seats has also begun with big guns trying to elbow out minnows.

Sources said Midlands South Provincial chairperson, Lillian Timvios with the support of minister of national healing and reconciliation Sekai Holland, is allegedly trying to ensure that former soldier Silent Dube stands in Mberengwa South.

He is likely to face off with South Africa-based journalist turned politician Sibanengi Dube, who was reportedly approached by structures in the constituency to stand.

The tussle for power is also getting ugly in Zvishavane where Timvios is said to be fighting it off with Zvishavane Town Council chairman and provincial organising secretary Alluwis Zhou, who was recently arrested over a housing stands scam.

Zhou confirmed that all was not well in MDC-T, accusing his opponents of causing his arrest. “My arrest was purely political, because my rivals in the party want to ensure that I am convicted and therefore disqualified from standing in the next elections,’ he said.

More sparks flying in the Midlands

Sparks are also expected in Mberengwa East where the party’s district Chairman, a KW Moyo is said to have fallen out of favour with the top leadership.

“The problem with the current leadership is that they want to impose candidates, igniting resistance and unnecessary infighting throughout the province,” said another provincial executive member.

However, Timvios dismissed the allegations saying the process of selecting candidates has not yet started. She said Holland was free to take part in party activities as she was a founder member of MDC-T who hailed from Midlands.

“She (Holland) is interested in being the Provincial Representative so those who fear her are now coming up with all these theories to distract and discredit her.”

Jostling for seats is also rife in provinces such as Manicaland, Masvingo, Harare and Chitungwiza where two factions have emerged with one sympathetic to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and another one loyal to party’s Secretary-general Tendai Biti.

Mutare has not been spared, and last week mayor of the city, Brian James temporarily quit his post citing bad working relationship with his fellow MDC-T councillors, a number of whom are eyeing parliamentary seats.

MDC-T national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa late last year had to threaten to fire the faction ridden Masvingo provincial executive.

MDC spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora could not be reached for comment. However, the party’s deputy national spokesperson, Thabhita Khumalo yesterday said the MDC-T national executive has not yet received reports of divisions within its structures.

“The provincial leaderships are the best to comment on the issue because they have not yet informed the national executive of any infighting taking place in their areas,” she said.