By Upenyu Silent Chaota
The president of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T), Morgan Tsvangirai has urged the Masvingo provincial executive to stop fighting and start re-structuring exercise in preparation for 2018 national elections.
Addressing members of theMasvingo provincial leadership in a meeting convened behind closed doors at the party’s provincial office yesterday in Masvingo, Tsvangirai said that he is disappointed with the state of affairs in Masvingo province.
Tsvangirai added that he is saddened by the lack of commitment in the party’s provincial affairs and he urged the leadership to work hard so as not disappoint in the 2018 elections.
“We have heard reports about people who are causing chaos and disorder in this province. It seems that the leadership is not doing a good job so as to bring the people together”, said Tsvangirai.
He also added that: “The reason why we lost all the constituencies in this province is because the people and their leadership are not working together and I urge all of you here to go back to the drawing board and restore confidence in the people”
Tsvangirai pose for a group photo with Masvingo urban councilors after meeting at the party provincial office in Rhodene, Masvingo yesterday
Masvingo is one of the provinces where there was instability towards the party’s congress.
Tsvangirai challenged the Masvingo provincial chairman James Gumbi, to organise his province so that they will not be surprised in the 2018 election as was done in the July 31st 2013 elections where the party lost all the constituencies in the province to ZANU PF.
Masvingo failed to uphold peaceful provincial congress elections as it was characterised by internal violence and ‘vote buying’. The province also failed to create party structures as the people were divided with some aligned to the former provincial chair Benard Chiondegwa and the current chair Gumbi.
“I urge you as the leadership of the province to stop the fights and concentrate on building the party structures so that they will return to their glory days when the people were organised and focused to deliver change to the people of Zimbabwe and vote out the ZANU PF government”, said Tsvangirai.
The new national organising secretary, Abednigo Bhebhe was also at the meeting and assured the party supporters who were gathered outside the office that he was going to help fix the problems that were crippling the province.
“I am going to take charge of the matter and make sure that the party structures in this province are restored to their glory days”, said Bhebhe.