via MDC-T to hold primaries for rebel MPs. newzimbabwe.com 17 June 2014
THE MDC-T faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai plans to hold primary elections to choose new candidates in constituencies held by legislators backing the renewal team, party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora has revealed.
Mwonzora told Chronicle Monday the opposition was stepping up efforts to get rid of legislators belonging to the faction led by the party’s secretary-general Tendai Biti.
An attempt by to have the legislators recalled from Parliament failed after the Speaker refused to be involved, telling the warring factions to take their fight to the courts.
“As far as we’re concerned the legislators who joined the so-called renewal team do not belong to the MDC-T. We are therefore planning to hold primary elections to elect new candidates that belong to the party,” said Mwonzora.
“These would not be shadow MPs but real MPs representing the MDC-T. We have already started preparing for the elections and we would soon be having new MPs that belong to the party.”
“As MPs, we’re accountable to the people in our constituencies, including those that did not vote for us, not party members only. We’ll therefore continue with our work,” said the Lobengula legislator.
“Obviously the split has created groups in Parliament. We’re no longer discussing together, which is natural considering what has transpired in the past months. But this does not affect our work.”
Some of the targeted MPs said they would not pay any attention to Mwonzora’s claims.
“We’re no longer caucusing together and we never meet for discussions but this does not affect our work at Parliament. The fact that we differ in principles and values should not affect our work,” he said.
Mpopoma-Pelandaba legislator Bekithemba Nyathi added: “This is just a political game they’re playing. The fact that I have crossed floor doesn’t mean that I have to be stopped from representing the people that voted for me.
COMMENTS
Who in the MDC-T is going to fix the date for by-elections as well as fund them?
Zviroto apa warotomoka MDC-T will fix the date and MDC-T will fund the elections isn’t it clear. These renegade MPs should stop being MPs and go into a by-election and see whether they have people’s mandate or not. These MPs want to hide behind MDC-T, I challenge them to stand on their own and come face to face with reality.They must ask Welshman Ncube and Co.Mbiti and all those in the renewal team are just power hungry.
Those who joined Biti know it very well that even if they are to survive being recalled, this is their last term in office. They’ll be very fortunate if they can get a 100 votes. We voted for them on the Tsvangirai brand not because of Biti.
If you ask people they representing in parliament havatowirirani navo madzimure,madzore next election is your first time to loose .ask jonathan kuti paakatengesa akapabuda here?was grounded by a woman
Renewal MPs when we voted, we did not vote for you in person but for the party led by RM Tsvangirai. To be honest we did not know you.
Why are you afraid to go for the test? At least when people vote you back then you know for sure people are with you in your renewal project.
It only shows you are not genuine people’s representative and you are living on borrowed time.
They are riding on the indispensable brand called MT now they are complacent. We are waiting with our votes.
“Obviously the split has created groups in Parliament. We’re no longer discussing together, which is natural considering what has transpired in the past months. But this does not affect our work.” HOW ON EARTH CAN THAT BE, IF YOU ARE NOT DISCUSSING THEN OBVIOUSLY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER YOUR WORK IN PARLIAMENT IS AFFECTED, SO DONT LIE TO US WE ARE NOT DUMP.
“As MPs, we’re accountable to the people in our constituencies, including those that did not vote for us, not party members only”. WITH DUE RESPECT HONOURABLE MP YOU HAVE A MANDATE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE YES, BUT YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PARTY THAT YOU BELONG UNLESS YOU WERE AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE WHICH SCHOOL OF POLITICS DID YOU GO THAT WHY THE PART HAS THE POWER TO RECALL YOU FROM PARLIAMENT EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE ELECTED
and will these primaries be conducted the same way as those before the July elections?
is indeed a fool’s paradise. Who in the fractured MDC-T has legitimate claim to ownership of the Party. This reminds me of a story in one of the old primary text book of an earth king named All of You, who was invited by a king in heaven for a party. His subjects had to donate feathers to allow him to fly. However, on arrival the host king proclaimed to his guests that all the food on the table was for all of you. The earth king feasted on the food alone and thus infuriated all the birds that had donated feathers. On their return home, all birds refused to donate their feathers to their king and in the end, eagles volunteered to carry their king albeit their plot to eliminate him. It appears this story is playing to the full in the MDC-T.