…as make-or-break congress nears
By Rudo Saungweme
Factionalism has reached dizzying heights as party structures jostle to endorse their preferred candidates ahead of the elective congress scheduled for May this year.
The unending squabbles raised their ugly head at the MDC Harare Province Youth Assembly meeting held at Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House (MRT) on Sunday wherein the Party Provincial Youth Assembly Chairperson, Paul Gorekore was viciously booed and threatened with unspecified actions if he continued to support MDC Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora.
Gorekore, who is suspected to be pro-Mwonzora, had urged the youths to remain united even if the outcome of the congress is not in their favour. He was interjected by the rowdy youths who started to sing, “Tengesa uone mashura.”
In the meeting, MDC Provincial Youth Assembly Vice Chairperson, Stanley Manyenga said no party member would be allowed to contest MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa. He went on to say that MDC will exercise guided democracy. He opined that Harare Province would dispatch its members to other provinces to influence them to endorse Chamisa.
He further threatened that any province or member who will vote for a Zanu PF sponsored candidate will face unspecified actions.
Manyenga was apparently referring to MDC Party Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora as the Zanu PF sponsored candidate. Mwonzora was alleged to have received an unspecified amount of money to contest Chamisa.
Meanwhile, Harare Youth Provincial Assembly convened a press conference at MRT House yesterday where they publicly endorsed Chamisa as the sole candidate for the presidency adding that voting for Zanu PF candidate would weaken the party in the 2023 harmonised elections.
“A reckless and Zanu PF supported presidential candidate choice would weaken the party ahead of future elections. The Assembly resolved to create an equal platform and conducive environment for candidates who intend to contest for the positions of the vice president going downwards at the next Congress to campaign freely and peacefully,” Manyenga said.
Journalists, who thought that declaring Chamisa as the sole candidate was tantamount to imposition and undemocratic, fired the executive with a volley of questions.
However, Manyenga evaded questions from journalists who were enquiring why the party was imposing candidates yet they claim to uphold democratic principles.
Harare Youth Assembly Secretary, Denford Ngadziwire also evaded questions from journalists who wanted to know whether the ground will be balanced at Congress.
