Chengetai Zvauya
As the fate of the MDC Alliance Manicaland Province heavyweight, Douglas Mwonzora, remains unclear, party leader Nelson Chamisa has reportedly moved in to appease the province amid indications that a female candidate has been nominated to the presidium ahead of the elective congress next month.
Mwonzora’s presidential aspirations in the forthcoming congress have all but collapsed after he failed to garner enough nominations to contest in the polls. Business Times is informed that Lynette Karenyi might take up the vice presidency post as Chamisa’s camp plays a balancing act to plug fissures within the opposition party.
Karenyi is the MDC Alliance chairperson for Women’s Assembly and has been nominated for the vice president’s post.
The party will conclude its nomination process on Saturday amid indications that Chamisa will not be challenged for the top post after other heavyweights – Elias Mudzuri and Mwonzora – were not nominated by the provinces for the position.
In a bid to dilute Mwonzora’s influence, Chamisa is desperate to reward Manicaland province. There are indications that Karenyi has the endorsement of all the provinces to be one of the female vice presidents of the party.
Karenyi told Business Times that she was leaving the Women’s Assembly post to vie for the vice presidency.
“There is a lot of political dynamics happening as we prepare for the elections, and the women in the party want one of their number to be the vice president and have put forward my name, and it has the blessing of the party president,” Karenyi disclosed. “A lot of things have happened with the power struggles, people wanting political power. We shall see what is going to happen,” she added.
Amos Chibaya, the MDC Alliance organising secretary, told Business Times that Chamisa needed the nomination of the South African province for him to be uncontested in the 24-26 May congress slated for Gweru.
Chibaya said Sibusisiwe Budha Masara had been nominated for the chairperson for the Women’s Assembly.
Chamisa’s deputy, Mudzuri, was nominated by Masvingo province to retain his post while Secretary General Mwonzora will battle it with Charlton Hwende for his the post.
“All the provinces are behind Chamisa and the two notable candidates Mudzuri and Mwonzora have withdrawn from the presidential race and are now focusing on other posts,” Chibaya disclosed. “We have received nominations from all the provinces that have provided the lists of preferred candidates and we are closing the nomination process on Saturday.”
“We have asked candidates who have been nominated for two positions to choose the one they are going to contest. For example, we have asked Tendai Biti who has been nominated for vice president and vice chairman by different provinces to decide on the post he wants to contest. Jacob Mafume who was nominated for two positions has similarly been asked to do the same.”
Other notable names contesting for vice chairman include the legislators Job Sikhala (Zengeza West), Happymore Chidziva (Highfield), and Costa Machingauta (Budiriro).
The three vice presidents – Welshman Ncube, Morgan Komichi, and Mudzuri – have been nominated to contest against Lilian Timveous for the current positions.
