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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
MDC Alliance deputy president Engineer Elias Mudzuri yesterday said the forthcoming opposition party’s elective Congress in May could split the party due to factional fights.

Eng Mudzuri posted the message on his Twitter wall, pleading with party members to address the problem of factionalism.

The opposition party is set to hold it’s Congress from May 24-26 and Eng Mudzuri delivered the ominous warning in his first tweet in over a year.

“The coming MDC-T congress threatens to tear the party apart and jeopardise our chances of winning the 2023 elections – ruining the hopes of millions. Let’s do what is right,” twitted Eng Mudzuri.

“MDC-T must respect it’s Constitution — remove fear & factional divisions to enable members to elect a leader that will unite us and focus on ending suffering in Zimbabwe.”

Contacted for comment over his Twitter post, Eng Mudzuri said he was in a meeting.

The last time Eng Mudzuri posted something on the micro blogging site was when he together with Dr Thokozani Khupe and Mr Nelson Chamisa were jostling to lead the party, just before the death of MDC Alliance founding president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mr Chamisa grabbed power following Mr Tsvangirai’s death – effectively splitting the party with Dr Khupe breaking away to lead the original MDC-T while the former joined forces with other opposition parties to form the MDC Alliance.

During that time, Eng Mudzuri said if Mr Chamisa was to lose in the presidential election held in July last year, which he did, he would be challenged as the party’s president during the party’s congress.

Already, factional divisions have started to emerge within the opposition party ahead of the hotly anticipated Congress.

Party sources have said the party’s Secretary General Mr Douglas Mwonzora is the strongest threat to Mr Chamisa’s presidency while Eng Mudzuri is viewed as a dark horse.

Meanwhile, the party has elected former councillor Alderman Collet Ndlovu as its candidate for the Ward 28 local authority elections in Bulawayo.

The seat fell vacant last year in December following the death of MDC Alliance councillor, Hapson Ncube.

Last week on Friday, the party allowed two candidates Ald Ndlovu and Ms Nomagugu Mloyi to file their papers at the Nomination Court for the vacant seat, confirming divisions affecting the party after chaos prevented the holding of a primary poll.

The party then decided to hold the primary election pitting the two candidates to elect the sole candidate.

In an interview, MDC national spokesperson Mr Jacob Mafume said Ald Ndlovu won the primary election and would represent the party.

“His challenger has voluntarily withdrawn in terms of the law. It’s in order. We are going to have one candidate,” said Mr Mafume.

Comment could not be obtained from both Ald Ndlovu and Ms Mloyi as they were not answering their phones.

However, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) Bulawayo District Elections Officer Mrs Sithembile Khupe yesterday said the commission has not received any withdrawal papers from any aspiring candidate.

She said the Electoral Act allows a candidate to withdraw their candidature days before the election.
Mrs Khupe said if a candidate does not withdraw their candidature until Zec prints ballot papers, his or her name would appear on Election Day. — @nqotshili.