MDC- T fields more than one candidate per ward for elections

In the nomination results announced by an official from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission around 8 pm yesterday, the MDC- T was fielding more than one candidate to stand under the party’s ticket in Wards 4, 6, 11, 16, 17 and 23 among others.

In Ward 16, two candidates, both from MDC- T, Muchaneta Zemura and Lorraine Usayiwevhu were up for political office in the forthcoming polls together with Zanu (PF)’s Tapson Chiramba.

In Ward 17, two MDC- T aspirants, David Rukweza and Gladys Jena also successfully filed their nomination papers under the party’s ticket.

An MDC- T supporters, Batsirai Simangwa said the confusion arose after the party’s provincial leadership endorsed the candidature of more than one person.

He said: “Our provincial leadership signed nomination papers for more than one candidate. As it is now, we do not know who to campaign for because the party availed more than one applicant and their names were officially called out by the ZEC.”

Ward 17’s David Rukweza said in the wards where two candidates had submitted their papers, the only just and noble thing to do was to have a re- run of the primary elections.

“My suggestion is that we go back and hold elections as a party and whoever is beaten, bows out,” he said.

“The challenge is that there are others among those who have put their papers for political office who want to use the influence of those at the top to gain political office. Let us be fair and conduct elections,” he added.

Another party supporter who was at the venue of nomination, Theresa Kapondoro said failure to handle primary election queries by the party had the potential to dilute the vote.

She said: "Some of the concerns raised by some of the candidates who have decided to file their papers as independent candidates are genuine.

"These people did not lose the primaries and they are loved by the people. They will dilute the vote to the party's disadvantage," she said.

Efforts to get a comment from MDC- T spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora or the party's Organising Secretary, Nelson Chamisa were futile as their mobile numbers went unanswered.

Zanu (PF) aspiring councilors scoffed at the gross irregularities within the party and said this exhibited the levels of confusion within the party structures.

"We had our challenges, but the party position has been very clear. Disgruntled candidates are in this race as independent candidates because we do want to confuse the electorate," said one aspiring councilor.

Countrywide, the Nomination Courts yesterday took nomination papers for those aspiring to contest for presidential, senatorial, national house of assembly and rural and urban council seats in the forthcoming polls

The election body had indicated that 4 pm was going to be the cutting off time for nomination and ‘late comers were not going to be entertained’, deferring their participation for political office to 2018.

However, due to the overwhelming number of aspiring councilors, who had defected from their parties of choice and were standing as independent candidates, the Nomination Court in Chitungwiza sat until around 8 pm as candidates rectified errors on their papers to enable them to be in the running for political office.

So far, 28 political parties are said to be interested in contesting the harmonised elections, although talk of a grand coalition among the political parties is rife.