…says he is ashamed to be part of his executive
Brighton Chiseva
Former Harare Mayor and MDC Vice President Engineer Elias Mudzuri seems to be considering dumping MDC-Alliance after he indicated that he will not be contesting for any post at the upcoming congress citing irregularities in the electoral processes.
The elective congress is slated for December 18 this year with the party President Douglas Mwonzora seeking re-election.
In a leaked WhatsApp conversation, Mudzuri said he does not agree with the whole process and will only consider contesting if the process becomes transparent.
“Thank you to all members of the MDC family who have expressed their wish that I stand for re-election as second Vice President of the party at the coming 5th congress. Please take note that I will not submit myself for that election for any position. I will however remain a committed card carrying member of the party”
“I am not in agreement with the process so I stand conflicted to vie for any position until and unless the process becomes transparent and democratic including knowledge of the colligate from ward to province,” said Mudzuri.
Contacted for comment, Mudzuri confirmed the development saying he will not contest at congress owing to failure by the party to follow proper procedures where nominations would start from grassroots.
He said the consultations should start at cell up to provincial level where contestants will be nominated.
“I cannot be nominated by the elite members of the party, nominations should start at grassroots level. We are 22 years as a party and that is what we have been doing all along. I cannot be nominated by my friends, that is not what we do as a party,” said Mudzuri.
On whether he will remain a member of the MDC-T Mudzuri, who hails from Zaka, said he was not after positions in the party so he will remain a card carrying and loyal member of the party.
“I am ashamed of what is happening right now but I cannot run away from party, I have talked to them and I will continue to talk to them but if they don’t listen, I will remain a card carrying member as I cannot be part of the leadership which fails to observe the democratic tenets of the party.
“I can be nominated for any positions in the party and have at some point assumed the leadership of the party as you know when Mr (Morgan) Tsvangirai died, he left me in charge of the party,” said Mudzuri.
Contacted for comment, party secretary for communications Witness Dube said Mudzuri could not claim to have withdrawn from the race as he is a candidate yet considering that the candidate has not yet been vetted and approved.
“He was nominated for the post of vice president but his nomination is yet to go through vetting by relevant authorities to see if he meets the threshold. So as it stands, he cannot claim to have withdrawn because there is nothing to withdraw from. He is yet to be a candidate,” said Dube.
Dube went on to say preparations for the congress were going on smoothly and it will go ahead as planned and relevant authorities are finalizing the candidates’ selection issue.
Reports have surfaced in various media circles that Morgan Komichi is set to wrestle the presidency from incumbent Mwonzora at the congress.
