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Nduduzo Tshuma Senior Political Reporter
A FRESH fallout could rock the MDC-T, with party leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s loyalists, national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa and national chairman Lovemore Moyo seemingly at loggerheads over alleged primary polls rigging in Bulawayo province.
Chamisa was in the city a few weeks ago ostensibly to supervise elections to replace Gorden Moyo who resigned as the party’s Bulawayo provincial chairperson citing national leadership failure, violence and lack of coordination within structures.

Chamisa’s meeting was, however, aborted after members failed to agree on who was eligible to participate in the polls and his visit and utterances at that indaba are said to have angered some senior party members.

In the meeting, Chamisa reportedly touched on the issue of rigging during the party’s primary elections ahead of last year’s July 31 harmonised elections, something he said should never happen again, party insiders said.

Earlier last month, party’s provincial organising secretary Albert Mhlanga torched a storm by confessing to rigging in constituencies like Entumbane and Mpopoma among others during the party’s primary elections.

Moyo, the party’s national chairperson called a meeting of the Bulawayo provincial executive last Saturday where he openly blasted Chamisa and party’s provincial organising secretary Albert Mhlanga for talking about the issue of rigging in last year’s party primary polls without reporting to him as he was the authority on poll matters, insiders said yesterday.

In an interview yesterday, Moyo confirmed the weekend meeting and confirmed that Mhlanga had been gagged on the matter.
He denied attacking Chamisa and Mhlanga saying he only outlined the functions of the party’s structures according to the party’s constitution.

He said the issue was addressed after Mhlanga made public statements to the media about rigging in primary elections.

“Running elections is the responsibility of the national chairperson and not provincial offices of Mhlanga. The only person to talk about these things is the national chairperson. I doubt Chamisa said that (apologised about rigging) when he came here because he had a clear mandate that is different from elections,” said Moyo.

He said he doubted that Chamisa at his level would address the matter because his (Moyo’s) office was yet to come up with an analysis of the internal party polls.

“I don’t have an ally in the MDC-T. I’m a national chairperson with support from the people. Anyone is free to contest any position they want and I don’t go to the level of campaigning for myself or anyone.”

Mhlanga also confirmed the weekend’s meeting but said he was not in a position to talk about the matter.

“I’m not talking to the media about that issue. That was a meeting of the party structures. In any case everything you are talking about has been sorted now,” he said.

“What I can tell you is that we are building structures starting from the branches, wards and province ahead of our congress.”

Chamisa could not be reached for comment.

However, MDC-T insiders say Moyo took long to address the matter despite members having written him letters of complaint on the issue.

“The issue of election rigging was raised a long time ago. Moyo only reacted when Mhlanga publicly spoke about the matter recently.

Even when Chamisa came to Bulawayo, initially he didn’t want to address the matter but after pressure from members, he acknowledged that what happened last year should never be repeated,” said the source.

“Mhlanga had to address the issue due to pressure from the people especially with reference to the Entumbane primary elections where a candidate clearly won but was disqualified three days later. The primary election for Gift Banda (deputy mayor)’s ward also had problems.”

“It’s believed that the visit is part of Moyo’s plans to impose deputy Bulawayo mayor Gift Banda as provincial chairman when elections come but that will not succeed,” a source said.

Indications are that acting Bulawayo provincial chairperson Dorcas Sibanda and Bulawayo East legislator Thabitha Khumalo are interested in the post of provincial chairperson while Mzilikazi senator Matson Hlalo has remained mum on the issue although insiders say he might throw his hat in the ring.

Banda, a reported ally of MDC-T deputy president Thokozani Khupe and Moyo is said to be interested but Mhlanga said the deputy mayor does not qualify.

“On Banda, I can say without consultations that he does not qualify. One needs to have served the party for more than five years to be eligible to contest that position and Banda falls far short. He should aim for lower positions in the branches,” he said.