Chamisa opens door for MDC campaigns

Published: 27 April 2019

CANDIDATES nominated to contest for various national executive and nationals standing committee positions when the opposition MDC holds its elective congress in May will next week start campaigns together during provincial caucuses, the Daily News reported.

With the party's provincial nominations concluding tomorrow with the Province of South Africa making its choices for various positions, MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume told the Daily News yesterday that the door-to-door campaign will have been officially opened.

"After the national council meeting, candidates will have either accepted or declined the nominations they got after being validated by the national council marking the beginning of official campaigns," Mafume said.

He also revealed that the party will conduct town hall meetings and council debates referred to as provincial councils where aspiring candidates for various positions meet the congress delegates and sell their ideas.

"There will be provincial councils where public debates will take place with candidates selling their ideas to ensure that those who vote make informed choices.

"We hope to have these debates televised so we are going to approach media houses to help with moderation and coverage along with the help of the electoral body.

"We want to see candidates debate policy issues about the party and the country because we are represented at various public platforms such as Parliament and council," he said.
Pressed to say whether or not candidates will be allowed to campaign individually outside provincial caucuses, Mafume said the party discourages the practice.

"We encourage candidates to use that platform to campaign to avoid hate speech and other unorthodox campaign methods but we also realise that campaigning is a matter of individual strategy which could make it difficult but that is what we encourage," Mafume said further.

The campaign season, according to the MDC, will allow party members to make informed choices ahead of the crucial congress which could either make or break the opposition party, 20 years on from its formation.

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa is set to be elected uncontested after getting 12 out of 12 nominations from provinces that have completed their processes. The province of South Africa is still to finalise its nominations.

The party has also, in a bid to revamp its fortunes, set up thematic committees aimed at cleaning its constitution to avoid internal conflicts.

Some of the committees emphasise organisational transformation and renewal, constitutional review, strategies and tactics reform, administrative and financial reform, leadership ethics and values.

Should Chamisa secure nomination in South Africa tomorrow, what will be left would be for congress to just declare him party leader and end a chapter of intense grumbling among some party faithful over his alleged dramatic power grab which followed the death of founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai in February last year.

This means all the attention will now shift to the race for his three deputies among eight hopefuls.

Those vying to deputise him include current VPs Morgen Komichi, Welshman Ncube and Elias Mudzuri. All of them are in their positions through appointment and their popularity will come under test next month.

The three will battle it out with fellow party top politicians Tendai Biti, Lillian Timveos, Lynnet Karenyi-Kore, Paurina Mpariwa and former Zanu PF MP Tracy Mutinhiri.

MPs Chalton Hwende and Daniel Molokela will challenge current MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, who was forced into an ignominious surrender of his pursuit for the MDC presidency.

Ten posts are up for grabs at congress with Chamisa appearing to be the only person who looks safe going into congress, as the party will not allow nominations from the floor.
- dailynews

Tags: Chamisa,