Douglas Mwonzora
… as disgruntled Matutu team plans parallel programmes
Diana
Gondongwe
Gondongwe
MDC president Nelson Chamisa has all but created deep
fissures of divisions within his party supporters in Masvingo province after
superintending over a chaotic provincial congress which saw the James Gumbi-led
executive retaining power.
fissures of divisions within his party supporters in Masvingo province after
superintending over a chaotic provincial congress which saw the James Gumbi-led
executive retaining power.
Commenting on the provincial congress held a fortnight
ago, MDC secretary general Douglas Mwonzora told TellZim News that Masvingo had
retained a weak leadership.
ago, MDC secretary general Douglas Mwonzora told TellZim News that Masvingo had
retained a weak leadership.
“Masvingo should have done better. There are a lot of
people with good leadership qualities in the province. Gumbi and Tongai Matutu
were not the best to keep the party afloat and win back the popular vote used
to be enjoyed by the MDC,” said Mwonzora.
people with good leadership qualities in the province. Gumbi and Tongai Matutu
were not the best to keep the party afloat and win back the popular vote used
to be enjoyed by the MDC,” said Mwonzora.
Under the Gumbi-led executive’s previous term, the
party’s visibility in the province was very low because all key people were based
in Harare and were out of touch with the structures.
party’s visibility in the province was very low because all key people were based
in Harare and were out of touch with the structures.
As a consequence, Zanu PF won 25 out of the 26
parliamentary seats in the province and Mwonzora said the same tragedy was likely
to repeat itself in 2023.
parliamentary seats in the province and Mwonzora said the same tragedy was likely
to repeat itself in 2023.
“Gumbi does what he wants when he wants. He does not
follow procedure and it will be difficult if not impossible for him to unite
the deeply-divided province.
follow procedure and it will be difficult if not impossible for him to unite
the deeply-divided province.
“Zanu PF will harvest all the parliamentary seats
again in 2023 because we have no capable provincial leadership. Matutu had
people and we cannot dispute that. All those people can easily be lured to Zanu
PF. The people had high hopes but they were disappointed,” said Mwonzora.
again in 2023 because we have no capable provincial leadership. Matutu had
people and we cannot dispute that. All those people can easily be lured to Zanu
PF. The people had high hopes but they were disappointed,” said Mwonzora.
Many members of the MDC were left disgruntled and
dejected after the disqualification of Matutu at the eleventh hour after
Chamisa reportedly invoked the party congress template where Matutu came short
of the continuous five-year membership threshold.
dejected after the disqualification of Matutu at the eleventh hour after
Chamisa reportedly invoked the party congress template where Matutu came short
of the continuous five-year membership threshold.
The Matutu team had to quickly find a replacement and
Simon Mupindu stood in but was defeated by Gumbi under murky circumstances,
prompting his loyalists to stage a mini protest denouncing the Gumbi victory.
Simon Mupindu stood in but was defeated by Gumbi under murky circumstances,
prompting his loyalists to stage a mini protest denouncing the Gumbi victory.
Gumbi polled 1 040 votes against Mupindu’s 966 and
after being declared winner, Gumbi said what lied ahead was a huge task of
uniting people and he will work with everyone to reclaim the lost glory.
after being declared winner, Gumbi said what lied ahead was a huge task of
uniting people and he will work with everyone to reclaim the lost glory.
“The people have voted and I came out victorious. In
every contest, there is one winner and I am the winner in this case. This does
not mean we are shutting other contestants out, we are going to work as a
united front to build our party,” said Gumbi.
every contest, there is one winner and I am the winner in this case. This does
not mean we are shutting other contestants out, we are going to work as a
united front to build our party,” said Gumbi.
MDC provincial spokesperson Derrick Charamba said the
provincial executive will have their first meeting today (April 26) to map the
way forward.
provincial executive will have their first meeting today (April 26) to map the
way forward.
He refuted claims that the executive was based in
Harare.
Harare.
“We are going to have our first meeting today to map
the way forward. We are going to do things differently this time. We will be
giving a full statement after our meeting,” said Charamba.
the way forward. We are going to do things differently this time. We will be
giving a full statement after our meeting,” said Charamba.
Meanwhile, the Matutu team has maintained its
narrative that the polls were rigged, vowing to organise parallel programmes.
narrative that the polls were rigged, vowing to organise parallel programmes.
“Masvingo we thank you for voting the Matutu team. We
will not surrender. We are the leaders of Masvingo while the Gumbi team are
imposters. We will not abandon the people who nominated us.
will not surrender. We are the leaders of Masvingo while the Gumbi team are
imposters. We will not abandon the people who nominated us.
“As the leaders of Masvingo, we must not donate the
province to Zanu PF. Gumbi is a product of rigging and is illegitimate. We are
prepared to drive party programmes in districts and wards. Masvingo knows we
are the most popular team and will look to us to proffer strategies that will
dislodge Zanu PF in the province,” said the Matutu team in a statement.
province to Zanu PF. Gumbi is a product of rigging and is illegitimate. We are
prepared to drive party programmes in districts and wards. Masvingo knows we
are the most popular team and will look to us to proffer strategies that will
dislodge Zanu PF in the province,” said the Matutu team in a statement.
