Uproar as Chamisa protects sitting MP

MDC-T Alliance presidential candidate Mr Nelson Chamisa has allegedly imposed his blueeyed boy Mr Amos Chibaya in Mkoba constituency despite other seats in the Midlands province being up for grabs.

Aspiring candidates for Mkoba constituency have accused Mr Chamisa of double standards after he allegedly ordered primaries for all the other constituencies including Gweru Urban held by senior party member Mr Sesel Zvizvai except for Mkoba.

Mr Chibaya is allegedly being rewarded for supporting Mr Chamisa’s power grab following the death of party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai last month.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an aspiring Mkoba constituency MP said he was shocked to learn that he could not challenge Mr Chibaya adding that he was ordered to “look elsewhere” if he had intentions of becoming an MP.

“I was planning to challenge Chibaya, who is the sitting MP for Mkoba constituency, but my CV was rejected by the provincial leadership. They said Chibaya was Chamisa’s blueeyed boy who was not going to participate in the forthcoming primary elections.

“I was told to look elsewhere, you can imagine. So, since it is said to be a directive from the president, they refused to accept my CV and those of others,” said the disgruntled party member.

Another disgruntled member said it was not only Mr Chibaya who was being protected by Mr Chamisa, but a number of MPs who supported his power grab.

In an interview yesterday, MDC-T Midlands South spokesperson Mr Munyaradzi Mutandavari confirmed the development and said that in Gweru the only candidate who was going to the elections uncontested was Mr Chibaya.

“In Gweru only one candidate is uncontested and it’s MP Chibaya of Mkoba constituency. Albert Chadoka initially wanted the position but maybe he changed his mind because he submitted his CV for a provincial government post. It’s not like Mr Chibaya is being protected no, but people in the party fear him as he has many supporters in Mkoba,” he said.

Mr Mutandavari said for Gweru Urban constituency, the party had received four CVs from the sitting MP Mr Zvizvai; Mr Brian Dube, a prominent lawyer (current information and publicity); Mr Blessed Mishi, an activist; and Mr Kenneth Sithole, former Ward 4 councillor (district chairperson).

He said Zvishavane-Ngezi constituency had two aspiring candidates, namely Mr Mike Timveous and Mr Leopold Mudisi.

“For the 14 wards in Midlands South we have 58 candidates and it’s an average of four candidates per ward. We will be submitting the CVs to the national council to decide, they may use seniority on selections but definitely we will have primary elections,” said Mr Mutandavari.

He said dates for the primaries would be decided by the national executive.

Contacted for comment, Mr Chibaya said he was out of the country and would be back tomorrow.