BY SILAS NKALA/BRENNA MATENDERE
The newly-elected MDC Bulawayo provincial executive has lashed out at losing candidates who have appealed against the results, claiming the action was tantamount to an insurrection against party leader Nelson Chamisa.
MDC Bulawayo members, who comprise legislator Phelela Masuku and 11 others, appealed to the party’s national executive council (NEC) challenging the elections in the province, claiming the process was flawed.
Yesterday, the newly-elected Bulawayo executive came out guns blazing, describing the losers as trying to discredit Chamisa.
Provincial spokesperson Swithern Chirowodza said: “From the look of things, it comes across more as an insurrection against MDC president Nelson Chamisa than an appeal against alleged electoral irregularities.
“The appellants are bent on disfiguring president Chamisa’s image by falsely portraying him as one who presided over the April 17 MDC Bulawayo provincial congress.”
The MDC Bulawayo members’ appeal came at a time when Chamisa has already been nominated, uncontested, as the party’s president by all the 13 provinces and now waits to be confirmed by the national congress to be held in Gweru from May 24 to 26.
Southern Eye understands that an MDC special committee has been put in place to deliberate on issues raised by some members to the NEC.
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In the provincial elections, James Sithole beat Masuku with 509 votes to 307; Felix Mhaka won the deputy chair position; while Earnest Rafamoyo won the provincial secretary position and is deputised by Walter Taranhike.
The new provincial organiser is Helen Zviviri, deputised by Colet Ndlovu. Chirowodza won the spokesperson position, and is deputised by Gladys Mathe and the treasurer became Sonny Phiri, deputised by Grace Mathe.
Meanwhile, MDC Midlands’ women assembly members, who petitioned the party’s national organising department seeking to reverse the election process for the provincial wing held on April 10 in Gweru, have withdrawn their challenge and thrown their weight behind the winners.
