Rudo Saungweme
The defeat of the MDC in Cowdray park ward 28 by-election has sent sympathisers and supporters alike into panic mode with Professor Jonathan Moyo charging that the party has disconnected with Bulawayo voters.
MDC Alliance fielded two candidates who both lost to Zanu PF’s Kidwell Mujuru.
“It means the MDC-Alliance has disconnected with Bulawayo voters. Time was when for every three registered voters in Bulawayo, two were MDC. The writing is on the wall: if the MDC-Alliance leadership does not introspect on this and reconnect with Bulawayo voters, trouble lies ahead,” said Prof Moyo in a hard-hitting tweet.
Former Zanu PF politiburo member who has been accommodated in the MDC Alliannce, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti also showed a feeling of despondency stating that the results on Cowdray Park were not pleasing. Bhasikiti called for the mobilisation of people through proper structures.
Supporting Professor Moyo on his twitter handle, Bhasikiti posted, “This result is not good at all. Let it inform us of the great task of mobilising people through properly structured structures. ZPF it`s only available structures to go and vote (sic). Having said that, all hope is not lost. Together Stronger, Stronger, Together.”
Professor Moyo also said that elections were about figures and that votes come from structures.
“Politics is local. Even national elections are contested and won locally. Elections are about figures wherein every vote counts. Votes come from structures, Bulawayo MDC structures are in turmoil. Zanu PF won bragging rights, not supporters!” he said.
MDC which fielded two candidates in the weekend by-election -Collet Ndlovu and Mloyi Nomagugu - lost to Zanu PF party. Ndlovu got 221 votes whilst Mloyi got 1 229 votes against Zanu PF’s Kidwell Mujuru who won with a whopping 1 899 votes.
Analysts have highlighted that factionalism which has rocked the MDC A is the chief contributor to the dismal defeat of the MDC. The factionalism saw the party fielding two candidates in the weekend by-election with one coming from the MDC Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora’s camp while the other is from Nelson Chamisa’s camp.
Chamisa`s sympathisers fear that the divisions in the MDC party will cause impact negatively on the upcoming May elective congress. The MDC will be holding their elective congress for the first time without the MDC founder, the late Morgan Tsvangirai.
