Alliance storm as MDC-T rejects PDP Secretary General’s bid for Mbizo




Tendai Biti and Prof. Welshman Ncube
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SERIOUS divisions in the MDC Alliance have emerged in Kwekwe with MDC-T structures resisting People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Secretary General Settlement Chikwinya’s bid to represent Mbizo constituency.

The MDC Alliance is navigating murky waters as there are more dissenting voices in constituencies which were MDC-T strongholds but were given to alliance partners.

The MDC-T is the biggest partner in the alliance with an allocation of 114 candidates out of the 210 seats to be contested.

Sources said structures in Kwekwe last weekend raised the issue with deputy organizing secretary Amos Chibaya and told him that the decision to field Chikwinya was “against the will of the people,” as they believed that MDC-T structures in Mbizo are backing Charles Madhiwa.

“Chibaya said the executive was going to look into the issue. He, however, assured us that the party is not going against the will of the people,” said the source who attended the closed door meeting.

Late last year, executive members in Midlands North expressed their concern over the allocation of Mbizo constituency to an alliance partner to former party leader the late Morgan Tsvangirai.

Midlands North Information and Publicity Secretary, Abram Mutchena, however, said there was no going back on the coalition.

The provincial spokesperson is insisting that Mbizo constituency belongs to PDP.

“As far as I am concerned the Mbizo seat was allocated to PDP. Of course some individuals in the party might be disgruntled about the allocation but that is the position,” he said.

He said Chibaya’s visit had nothing to do with the contentious issue but to assess the preparedness of Kwekwe to host the MDC Alliance rally which is going to be addressed by party president Nelson Chamisa this weekend.

“Chibaya is the organizing secretary. When he visited Kwekwe it was to assess the preparedness of the city to host the president. And I can assure you that preparations are at an advanced stage,’’ Mutchena said.

“President Chamisa is moving around the country and this weekend Midlands is his next port of call,” Mutchena said.

Mutchena said Chamisa was going to address supporters in Kwekwe and Gweru.

He said the opposition leader was “going to introduce alliance leaders to people in the province and also going to lay out his vision.”  – NewsZim