The expulsion of at least 17 MDC-T PMs from Parliament has been received with joy by Zanu PF yesterday with much focus on the most valued Tsholotsho North constituecny,which a few Zanu PF failed to win in Matebeleland during the 2013 elections.
Zanu PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere wrote on Twitter encouraging Prof Jonanathan Moyo who lost the seat with a narrow margin to Mrs Roseline Nkomo to grab the seat saying, “Jonso bring back our constituency. Bring it back home!”
Prof Moyo proudly twitted back to Mr Kasukuwere’s call saying, “Copied National Commissar. This is a case of a lost but found constituency.”
Mrs Nkomo, who polled 4 827 votes to Prof Moyo’s 4 163, was one of 17 MPs and four Senators who peeled away from the Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T to form the United Movement for Democratic Change (UMDC) – a coalition with the Professor Welshman Ncube-led MDC. Mr Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party petitioned the Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda to expel the MPs, claiming they had fallen foul of rules which bar lawmakers elected on a party’s ticket from “crossing the floor” – that is joining another party. Adv Mudenda granted the MDC-T its wish yesterday, effectively setting the stage for 17 by-elections. Zanu-PF sees this as an opportunity to consolidate its huge parliamentary majority and few victories would give the party as much satisfaction as reclaiming Tsholotsho North.
In the 10 Matabeleland North constituencies, Zanu-PF lost only in Tsholotsho North, Nkayi South and Hwange Central. The party had a clean sweep in Matabeleland South, winning all 13.
Bulawayo, though, was a tough nut to crack – yet Zanu-PF could gain an unlikely foothold if the MDC-T and the UMDC carry out their threats to boycott the elections.
Five seats are up for grabs in Bulawayo – Mr Bekithemba Nyathi (Mpopoma Pelandaba), Mr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo (Lobengula), Mr Reggie Moyo (Luveve), Mr Albert Mhlanga (Pumula) and Mr Gorden Moyo (Makokoba). The axed MPs have a tough decision to make – stick with the party’s boycott directive or break ranks and contest. A boycott would deliver the seats to Zanu-PF. Mr David Coltart, a member of the UMDC, observed: “Given that the MDC-T say they’re boycotting by-elections, are they happy to hand these seats over to Zanu-PF? One thing is crystal clear from Twitter – both Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere issued deliriously happy tweets about the move. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.” The UMDC yesterday appeared determined to fight Adv Mudenda’s ruling in court. Former MDC-T secretary general Mr Tendai Biti, now a key figure in the UMDC, was yesterday not ready to entertain talk of by-elections. His Harare East seat was also declared vacant. “The ruling is clearly political and is borne out of the relationship between Tsvangirai and Zanu-PF. We’re obviously going to challenge this in a court of law,” said Mr Biti.
Prof Ncube, one of two interim leaders of the UMDC, told The Chronicle last night that if it got to it, they would not contest any by-elections. “No, we’ll not contest. We’ve not contested in a single by-election since the 2013 elections, whether for council or Parliament and we’ve said it several times that we don’t want to take part in any by election,” said Prof Ncube.
Should the MDC-T or UMDC rethink their positions and contest, two other marginal seats – other than Tsholotsho North – could be closely fought. In Harare East, Mr Biti garnered 9 538 against 8 190 for the Zanu-PF candidate, while in Dzivaresekwa Mr Solomon Madzore won by less than 1 500 votes after he managed 6 591 against Zanu-PF’s 5 402.-herald
8 Replies to “Expelled MDC-T MPs Vacuum Paves Way For Zanu PF”
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I say that MDC t and UMDC will win 14 seats between them. Zanu will gain 3 more than before from MT’s blunder.
I say that MDC t and UMDC will win 14 seats between them. Zanu will gain 3 more than before from MT’s blunder.
i wonder what will happen if mdc joins forces with gamatox and all their MP’s decide to resign……….
i wonder what will happen if mdc joins forces with gamatox and all their MP’s decide to resign……….
i dont even agree with yu mr man,Biti and company won the seats thru MDC-T TICKET,AM I WRONG,those calling themselves renewal team i want to warn them that their time is over now,MDC-T IS GOING TO ROMP in victory ,zanu is dead and out to tell yu the truth ,yu cant need a scintist to tell yu that zanu is totaly dead and out,watch my words yu are going to be shocked MDC-T IS GOING TO RECLAIM ALL THE SEATS COME BY-ELECTIONS
i dont even agree with yu mr man,Biti and company won the seats thru MDC-T TICKET,AM I WRONG,those calling themselves renewal team i want to warn them that their time is over now,MDC-T IS GOING TO ROMP in victory ,zanu is dead and out to tell yu the truth ,yu cant need a scintist to tell yu that zanu is totaly dead and out,watch my words yu are going to be shocked MDC-T IS GOING TO RECLAIM ALL THE SEATS COME BY-ELECTIONS
Morgan the way you are acting it is as if you are a zanu pf inside
man. If this post is true it is a case of Tom sawyer charging friends to
whitewash a fence he did was too lazy to do himself. Not only did Tom
get his friends to do the job he loathed, but he actually made them pay!
The indigenisation drive by Mugabe giving back the people the land and
resources, PLUS the chaos in opposition ranks is definitely going to
give them more seats in Parliament. Tsholtsho is Moyo’s now.
For the first time in a long time I expect to see Zanu winning one, two or
even more bulawayo seats- without cheating. In my research I have picked
up that there has been a turning to Zanu pf in the last year in the
wesern suburbs close to Bulawayo city center.
If Morgan has given zanu some concessions to satisfy his thirst for revenge and exclusion of Biti and crew, he is paying to whitewash a wall!
MDC, surely you must awake now? Tsvangirai is a political incompetent. Tsvangirai is working hard to weaken his own power. When will you awake from your
sleep. Go Morgan go. Go Moragan go. Go Morgan go.
Morgan the way you are acting it is as if you are a zanu pf inside
man. If this post is true it is a case of Tom sawyer charging friends to
whitewash a fence he did was too lazy to do himself. Not only did Tom
get his friends to do the job he loathed, but he actually made them pay!
The indigenisation drive by Mugabe giving back the people the land and
resources, PLUS the chaos in opposition ranks is definitely going to
give them more seats in Parliament. Tsholtsho is Moyo’s now.
For the first time in a long time I expect to see Zanu winning one, two or
even more bulawayo seats- without cheating. In my research I have picked
up that there has been a turning to Zanu pf in the last year in the
wesern suburbs close to Bulawayo city center.
If Morgan has given zanu some concessions to satisfy his thirst for revenge and exclusion of Biti and crew, he is paying to whitewash a wall!
MDC, surely you must awake now? Tsvangirai is a political incompetent. Tsvangirai is working hard to weaken his own power. When will you awake from your
sleep. Go Morgan go. Go Moragan go. Go Morgan go.