Vote-buying scandal rocks MDC

It is disturbing to note that humble party founders and dedicated activists, who remain committed to the cause of democracy since the formation of the MDC, are being pushed to the periphery of the struggle by rich new comers, said the incoming Mashonaland East Provincial Womens Organising Secretary, Edna Mushwe.

Rich new comers are buying their way to influential party posts at the expense of economically disadvantaged veterans of the democratic struggle. Mr President, there is urgent need to protect such veterans from being thrown into political oblivion by the selfish new members interested in fulfilling self interests, she told Tsvangirai at a fact-finding meeting at MDC Headquarters last Friday.

Tsvangirai reportedly acknowledged there was massive vote-buying among party officials lobbying for party top posts around districts and provinces.

I am aware some party officials were using their economic muscle to buy support and cause violence in their pursuit for power. This is against our objective and constitution as a democratic movement. From experience, we learnt that sharp divisions and differences were used by our enemy to derail our annual national congresses. This time around we must guard against such destructive forces and remain focused on the job at hand, said Tsvangirai.

To manage disputes arising from the recent controversial Mashonaland East Provincial Election, Tsvangirai said leadership from both the old and new provincial executives would attend the Bulawayo National Congress as investigations into the alleged poll irregularities were under investigation.

A party standing committee charged with investigating the irregularities failed to seat early last week as some members such as Party Secretary General, Tendai Biti, National Chairperson, Lovemore Moyo, National Spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa, Vice President, Thokozani Khupe among others were not present.

Mashonaland East elections turned violent after some members protested against alleged irregularities in the voting process.

There was no way we could take part in a flawed electoral process. Ineligible voters from interim district committees were allowed to vote against the party constitution. Hundreds of unregistered voters drawn from outside party structures were also fraudulently let into the voting process. This resulted in members from one camp demonstrating and pulling out of the election.

Like Mugabe did in the discredited June 2008 Presidential election re-run, one faction proceeded to grab all posts uncontested. It was a sham poll. Interestingly, rival groups at the elections had one top common candidate in mind, Morgan Tsvangirai as Party President, said one participant.

Principled party founders holding senior positions in the old provincial executive such as Provincial Women Chairlady, Viginia Gwena, pulled out of the contest.

According to an accreditation register in possession of The Zimbabwean, only 506 members from the provinces 19 main wing districts were eligible to attend and vote, but 643 ended up casting their ballots, while attendance in the voting hall ballooned to 991.

Among those present were alleged hired thugs who later teamed up with paid Harvest House security personnel to beat up protestors. Four provinces, Uzumba, Maramba Pfungwe, Mrewa South and Mudzi South participated in the election against the party constitution as they were run by interim executive committees. Some 158 people from the districts illegally cast their votes.

Findings from investigations into the poll irregularities and subsequent violence would be made public after the April 28 national congress.

As punishment for protesting against the election irregularities, delegates from districts such as Marondera Central, Marondera East, Mrewa South, Mrewa West, Mtoko North and Uzumba, were not paid travel and subsistence allowances by officials which held keys to party coffers.

Meanwhile, Tsvangirai urged party activists and supporters to unite and work in harmony in the interest of the party and its fight for democracy. Pinnel Denga, who was controversially elected Provincial Chairperson, apologised for ugly scenes which characterized the violence marred election and asked both factions to let bygones be bygones in the interest of the party.

Observers have called on Tsvangirai to rein in the perpetrators of violence and destructive rich intruders within the peoples democratic movement, as they would derail the struggle for democracy before desired goals were achieved. Inaction on the part of Tsvangirai would send a wrong signal, as it would suggest that he blessed the violence, said an observer.