MDC-T: Top Party Leaders' Posts Not up For Grabs
The MDC-T is set to hold its congress at the end of October without secretary general Tendai Biti, who left the party with several others.
WASHINGTON DC — The Chitungwiza province of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Morgan Tsvangirai on Sunday night held its nominations for national elections and agreed that party posts for leader Tsvangirai and his deputy Thokozani Khupe, party chairman Lovemore Moyo and his deputy Morgen Komichi will not be contested at the forthcoming October congress. The province is said to have nominated current organizing secretary Nelson Chamisa to the post of secretary general with Tapiwa Mashakada as his deputy. Theresa Makone was nominated to the post of treasurer-general while Douglas Mwonzora was nominated to retain his current position of national spokesman. The sources said Murisi Zwizwai was nominated for the post of organizing secretary. Harare province is also said to have agreed to retain the top four leaders but there is a dispute on the rest of the nominations. While ten other provinces are yet to nominate candidates, some names of aspiring candidates were already being thrown around especially in the social media sphere. Bulawayo East house of assembly member Thabitha Khumalo, who is contesting for the post of deputy national spokesperson is one of them. Khumalo said even though Bulawayo province was yet to meet for nominations, it approached her to stand for election, a development Mwonzora said was illegal. Mwonzora said no province has the authority to individually approach candidates unless it holds a meeting to nominate candidates. He added that those doing so risk being disqualified from the race. Studio 7 failed to get a comment from Bulawayo province. Meanwhile, the MDC-USA External Assembly executive was elected at the 3rd Congress held on Saturday at Westford Regency Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. The elections were supervised by national chairman Lovemore Moyo. The executive committee members are: Chairman - Den Moyo; Vice Chairman – Dr. Christopher Kwangwari; Secretary - Andrew Chaponda; Vice Secretary - Tamburai Gwekwerere; Treasurer - Marjorie Simbanegavi; Organizing Secretary - Muzi Ncube; Vice Organizing Secretary - Mr. Maxwell Makarutsa; Information and Publicity Secretary - Marias Shumba; Women's Assembly Chairperson - Mary Abdul; Vice Chairperson - Thandiwe Ndebele; Secretary - Fatima Lubrino; Treasurer - Eleanor Mtangi; Youth Assembly Chairman - Tendai Mutenha; Youth Assembly Vice Chairman - Admonish Deda and Youth Assembly Secretary - Lovemore Mufukura.