BY BRENNA MATENDERE
THE MDC Midlands provincial executive is tomorrow set to hold a crucial indaba to heal simmering divisions that emerged in the run-up to the opposition party’s national congress held in Gweru last month.
Party insiders yesterday described the move as positive and highlighted the need for the opposition to immediately regroup and re-energise its agenda for change and an end to Zanu PF dominance in the province.
MDC has four parliamentary seats in Midlands (Mkoba, Gweru Urban, Redcliff and Mbizo) with Zanu PF claiming a lion’s share of 23 seats.
Provincial party chairperson Josiah Makombe told Southern Eye that the Sunday meeting will be a make-or break one.
“Since the congress, we have not been able to set a concrete programme because the first national council had not sat due to the bereavements we faced. However, now that it sat on Wednesday, we are going to convene our own meeting on Sunday and then immediately hit the ground running soon after putting our plans together,” he said.
In Midlands, cracks emerged in various districts, with some party functionaries forming parallel structures of leadership. The most trouble-some districts include Zvishavane-Ngezi, Shurugwi South, Zvishavane-Runde, Chirumanzu, Chiundura and Mberengwa South.
In Mberengwa South, there are power-wrangles over the control of the district, pitting supporters of former provincial secretary Zenzo Hove and current chairperson Siyakwazi Moyo.
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Whereas in Chirumanzu South, the conflict pits provincial member Lucia Madzivire and the current district leadership. In Chiundura, supporters of current MP Livingstone Chimina are in deep power struggles with those of aspiring district chairperson candidate Albert Chirau.
“We can’t say actually we have parallel structures, but it’s an issue of some people imposing themselves. After our Sunday meeting, we will start addressing all those challenges. The province is intact. That is why we succeeded to host the fifth national congress of the party without any incidences and in the wake of resource constraints,” Makombe said.
Midlands provincial MDC spokesperson Takavafira Zhou also expressed optimism that the current challenges in the party will be conclusively dealt with.
“A gigantic province with 28 districts, stretching from Gokwe Gumunyu to Mberengwa Chimbapire cannot function without challenges and even antagonism. Such challenges must trigger provincial leaders to rise to the occasion and turn conflict or antagonism into cooperation. Our collective wisdom as leaders can move mountains,” he said.
