Sarah Kwande (Ward 13) and Mavis Gatsheni (Ward 14) lost during the MDC-T primary elections but successfully pleaded with the NED on the basis that the party ought to promote gender policy and allow more representation in council by women.
The two candidates who had won, Kenneth Mandizvidza (Ward 13) and Erick Rukavhairo (Ward 14) were then ordered by the NED to withdraw their candidature to make way for the two ladies who had been given green light to stand as independent candidates by the June 28 nomination court.
The district executive formally tabled an appeal against the NED decision after discovering that the two ladies were heavily connected to Zanu (PF) and were part of a broader infiltration ploy that would see them withdrawing from the poll a day before elections in order to give advantage to Zanu (PF) candidates.
In a letter in possession of The Zimbabwean, signed by 12 members of the MDC-T Kwekwe district executive, it is revealed that the two women used a vehicle supplied by Zanu (PF) in the company of the party’s intelligence officials to travel to Harvest House where they lobbied to stand on the gender policy technicality. The vehicle in question is a Mercedes Benz Reg Number ACM7935, registered at the CVR to Owen Matava, the Kwekwe district secretary of the Zanu aligned Affirmative Action Group. According to sources, it was supplied to him by Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.
MDC-T district officials who appended their signatures include Women District Chairperson Alice Levi, Vice Chairperson Siziwe Ncube, Secretary for Elections Mbekezeli Ndlovu, Women District Organising Secretary Dadirai Mapfumo and District Youth Chairperson Taurai Mbano, “The two have been working with a Zanu (PF) official and Matava, who was expelled and labelled ‘Alien to MDC-T’ on 30 May 2013. They have been influencing Kwekwe Central structures, advocating for Bhora Mudondo.
“Since inception of the party, majority of the Kwekwe MDC-T members experienced catastrophic violence perpetrated by such ‘insiders’ and many were killed and maimed. We therefore appeal for the disregard of the two female candidates in question who want to destroy MDC-T from within in Kwekwe,” reads part of the letter.
Zanu (PF)’s interest in Kwekwe is centred on the mineral wealth of the city which has gold in abundance. Many top officials have multiple claims operating illegally and are therefore desperate to see their own party officials retained in decision making bodies so as to protect their ill-gotten riches.
Post published in: News