THE recently formed MDC-T Supporters’ Forum has rejected as “undemocratic” the party’s controversial proposal to hold confirmation exercises for sitting MPs, saying all aspiring party candidates must be subjected to open primary elections ahead of crunch polls next year.
Report by Wongai Zhangazha
The forum comprises the party’s supporters from the high-density suburbs of Kambuzuma, Mufakose, Rugare, Dzivaresekwa, Warren Park and Kuwadzana.
It is a loose union of MDC-T district executives disgruntled over their party’s selection process for candidates for the forthcoming polls.
The forum says it is totally opposed to the imposition of candidates, urging the party to stick to its founding democratic principles which must not be compromised to protect party heavyweights.
In a bid to protect their current seats from internal rivals, senior MDC-T leaders came up with a divisive confirmation method to circumvent open primaries ahead of general elections.
Under the confirmation process, the party’s constituency structures would be asked to affirm the incumbent to be the party nominee by a majority vote, while primary elections would pit all aspiring candidates against each other.
The frustrated supporters have also started mobilising independent candidates they would defiantly campaign for in the event the party ignores their demands.
“There are scenarios which the supporters’ forum has observed which are threatening the unity of the party,” said the forum in a statement.
“First, current MPs, senators and councillors fear that primary elections would cost them their jobs.
There are also those who did not make it in 2008; these are a group of political opportunists who take parliament and council as a commercial enterprise where they can earn salaries and make a living instead of ensuring public service delivery.
Zimbabweans expect nothing short of real change.”
The forum said supporters voted for change in 2000, 2002 and 2008, but now they would use their vote wisely and not allow the party to impose candidates.
“The party says it does not want to impose candidates for the 2013 elections when it is actually imposing them through the party constitution which pampers the national council with unfettered powers to decide the process to choose prospective candidates,” the statement read.
“This is dictatorship at its highest level.”
The forum added: “The party has had the same MPs in most constituencies since 2000 because of this undemocratic method. They (MPs) have been misinforming the national elections directorate of the party that they obtained the two-thirds majority of the wards and branches to avoid primary elections in their constituencies. This process of confirmation is open to manipulation.”
The forum wants the MDC-T to call for a meeting of the party’s general membership in the constituencies where aspiring candidates would be nominated by 10 voters for them to contest primaries.
Vakuru vaya votyira hwavo zvino. Itai Democracy chaiyo vakomana kwete impositions.
after coming to power whats next MDC-t one party state
muchadzoka kuZANU-PF.ndiyoka democracy yamaichemera isu tichiti ufumi kuvanhu imi moti FDI.what is FDI?hatisikumira kuZANU-PF
@mbuso-interesting take.
So very dissappointing. A couple of things worry me about the MDC. According to their founding constitution, the leader of the party was only allowed to have two terms, but this was conveniently discarded to allow Tsvangirai an opportunity…. He should have gone after his two year. Democracy is not a person, it is a process. The principals of democracy should always defeat political opportunism. It is clear that MDC has no faith in “democratic processes” and use the phrase very loosely.
This issue of the primaries is another indication of the change happening in the MDC and it is worrying. The people’s voice should be heard and a contest at Primaries is the best way to ensure that happens.
This is a shame…. a terrible Shame… I know where I am putting my X next year…. You have lost the confidence of the people you won over with your lofty slogans of democracy and inclussion… Fool me once, shame on you… fool me twice, shame on me… Not again!
You have used your positions in government to enrich yourselves, on the back of the people you had once claimed to represent… Designer suits you could never afford, are now like a uniform you all wear proudly day in and day out… The energy is lost.. You wouldnt think that this is the lead up to an election year… It is true that when a dog’s belly is full, it loses the need to hunt… Your bellies are now full and you may very well be suprised in this next election.
You dismissed the report that was published regarding the MDC’s popularity having declined significantly… I dont know how on earth you can dismiss something like that… but the problem is that power brings arrogance, arrogance causes a person to lose sight of reality…. Sort out your mess!