Fall-out in MDC-T leadership deepens

Published: 31 January 2018

THE fall-out between MDC-T leaders is deepening with MDC-T deputy president Mr Nelson Chamisa saying the party's spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu's announcement that he will contest the Harare East Parliamentary seat, is a mere wish that will not materialise.

Mr Chamisa who was delegated to lead MDC-T in the MDC Alliance by the party's president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai who is on leave due to ill health, said the alliance had handed the seat to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) led by Mr Tendai Biti.

Mr Biti wants to represent his party in Harare East in the coming elections.

Mr Chamisa said the MDC Alliance resolutions are irreversible and as such only a PDP candidate will represent the MDC Alliance in Harare East.

He said the MDC-T was not bound by Mr Gutu's wish and as stated, will not field a candidate in Harare East.

"Intention is not a decision. Yes, in terms of the aspirational disposition anyone can wish to have interests located in a particular constituency but at the end of the day it is the party that decides through democratic ways who will represent it. In this case, the seat belongs to PDP in terms of our agreement," said Mr Chamisa.

He however said expression of an interest and expression of intention was not criminal but will not alter the fundamental reality on the ground.

Mr Chamisa said he was leaving no stone unturned to resolve the party's differences on matters regarding the MDC Alliance.

"As a person delegated to deal with the Alliance, I'm leaving no stone unturned to make sure that all the concerns around the seats are resolved in a manner that reflects the reality of our circumstances as a collective," he said.

Mr Gutu declined to comment and referred questions to the party's acting president Engineer Elias Mudzuri.

Eng Mudzuri could not be reached for comment.

Ailing Mr Tsvangirai has admitted that the opposition party's election campaign is in disarray and staggering ahead of elections to be held in five months' time.

Mr Tsvangirai who is being treated for cancer of the colon in South Africa, conceded that the opposition party's campaigns were not progressing the way the party would have wanted.

Writing on micro blogging site Twitter last Friday, the former Prime Minister however urged people to go and vote.

He said he was still on routine medical check-up in the neighbouring country and was being strengthened by messages of comfort he was receiving from party supporters.
- chronicle

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