The MDC Veterans Activists Association this week lambasted losing candidates who went on a vitriol against the party and those who threatened to stand as independent candidates in the coming elections.
While supporting calls by party president, Morgan Tsvangirai, for candidates to not to engage in corruption, violence and vote buying during the exercise, MDC VAA founding chairman, Solomon Chikohwero, who is now the organisation's national advisor, called on candidates that lost even in controversial circumstances to work for the good of the party.
"We applaud the party for exercising this internal democracy transparently, but we don't support any member of the party who engages in illicit practices, regardless of their position in the current setup," said Chikohwero.
"……….So far we have seen some, in the case of aspiring candidates, some disgruntled people that have threatened to stand as independent candidates in the forthcoming elections, but we are saying that where there is evidence of corruption, intimidation, violence or vote buying, we should deal with the culprits accordingly through the appeal process.
"Nonetheless, losing the primaries and confirmation processes should not be taken as a ticket for one to be an independent candidate because this is a critical time for us to unite our efforts towards winning the coming general elections and restore Zimbabwe."
He urged party members to develop a culture of speaking with one voice on critical issues, while also advising the aggrieved to use proper channels to alert the leadership.
"We need even the losing candidates and their supporters to rally behind the winning candidate for the sake of the future of the electorate, the party and Zimbabweans at large," added the former MDC Chief Security Officer.
"To us, whoever chooses to break ranks with the rest of the party was never a genuine member of the party of excellence, but an infiltrator sent to carry out a certain agenda and hereby warn that their attempts of dividing the party will fail."
Post published in: News