Pindula.co.zw

1st May 2019

MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume has announced that the party shall conduct public ‘Question and Answer’ sessions for party stalwarts vying for the top posts at the upcoming elective congress.

Mafume said that this exercise enhances democracy and also gives candidates a chance to preempt what they will do if elected. The spokesperson said:

The party mandated the commission to organise caucuses for those contesting each other to table before members and the public what they will offer the party and country if elected.

These debates shall be open to the public, the media and shall be streamed live on the party’s official social media platforms. The commission shall appoint independent moderators for these debates.

They will respond to questions from members of the party and this is good for democracy.

Current VPs, Morgen Komichi, Elias Mudzuri and Welshman Ncube shall battle for the same post with Tendai Biti, Lillian Timveos, Lynnet Karenyi-Kore, Paurina Mpariwa and former Zanu PF MP Tracy Mutinhiri who have all secured nominations.

Douglas Mwonzora, who recently withrew from contesting for the presidency position is facing Chalton Hwende and Daniel Molokeli for his current position.

David Coltart is expected to square off against Tapiwa Mashakada for the Treasurer General post.

Newsday

30th April 2019

BY OBEY MANAYITI

OPPOSITION MDC leader Nelson Chamisa will appoint some of the party’s standing committee members, among them the organising secretary and spokesperson as well as a number of deputies “as per the party’s constitution”, despite members nominating their preferred candidates at the just-ended provincial congresses.

Chamisa has already been nominated as party leader uncontested and will be duly confirmed MDC president at the party’s elective congress to be held in Gweru from May 24 to 26.

Although all positions were contested at the just-ended provincial congresses, party spokesperson Jacob Mafume revealed yesterday that Chamisa would use his discretion to appoint some officials into some key portfolios in line with the party’s constitution, as amended in 2014.

The positions that are now set to be appointed also include some of those where nominations were sought.

“Remember in 2014, the constitution was changed so that the president appoints from the position of secretary-general downwards. This is what the constitution says. We were taking nominations on the basis that the national council will condone that departure from the constitution,” Mafume, who was nominated for the information portfolio, said.

According to the party, the provisions for presidential nominations were put in place following the acrimonious fallout between former secretary-generals and the then president, Morgan Tsvangirai, leading to divisive splits.

Some of the positions Chamisa will nominate include national organising secretary and deputy, treasurer-general and deputy, deputy secretary-general as well as deputy information and publicity secretary, among others.

The position of deputy secretary-general will be contested by Concillia Chinanzvavana, Settlement Chikwinya, Daniel Molokela and Caston Matewu.

David Coltart, Tapiwa Mashakada, Tendai Biti and Thabita Khumalo will battle for the treasurer position.

Biti has also been nominated for the vice-president post and will have to accept only one nomination.

National organising secretary Amos Chibaya was nominated by the bulk of the provinces to retain his position, while the United Kingdom nominated Job Sikhala as his replacement.

Mafume said the provision was supposed to affect even the secretary-general’s position and that of treasurer, had the national council not opted for elections.

But according to what Mafume said, Chamisa has no obligation to follow the list of names nominated by the provinces.

“The national council looked at the situation and said notwithstanding that the constitution provides for that, the leadership of the standing committee recommended that secretary-general and treasurer-general be elected as well, even though the constitution says otherwise,” he said.

“We are actually moving from a situation where more were appointed to allow for more to be elected. Skills-based positions will be appointed like the organising and information.”

Mafume added that even though there are nominations for the positions that will be appointed, Chamisa would not be bound by the nominations in his pickings.

“The leadership asked for nominations so that he (Chamisa) will be guided, at least, by what the people want, not necessarily taking exactly that, but to get an indication of the feeling of the executive. Where there is a mismatch in talent, he will then address accordingly,” he said.

Several party heavyweights are expected to fall by the wayside at next month’s congress, in particular in the crowded vice-presidency.

Mafume said they were also taking a cue from South Africa’s ruling African National Congress and opposition Economic Freedom Fighters, which only elect the top six and the rest are based on deployment.

Zanu PF’s whole politburo is appointed by the party president. Observers used to, however, describe the MDC model, where all had to go through an election, as the best democratic model.

Pindula.co.zw

28th April 2019

Human rights lawyer and eldest son of former Education Minister David Coltart, Doug Coltart was on Sunday morning summoned by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). This was revealed by David Coltart on his Twitter handle. Wrote Coltart:

“Mnangagwa’s menacing threat against doctors and lawyers who assisted victims of the crimes against humanity committed by soldiers in January is being executed.

My eldest son, human rights lawyer Doug Coltart has been called to ZRP Harare at 9 am to face spurious charges.

My son, human rights lawyer Doug Coltart, has been summoned to ZRP Harare Central this Sunday morning to face spurious charges.

Any regime which acts against lawyers defending the Constitution is headed down a perilous path.”

Bizcommunity.com

By Dorcas Dube

18th April 2019

I had the privilege to attend the Global Education Skills Forum in Dubai, which took place from the 22nd to the 24th of March 2019. Organised by the Varkey Foundation, GESF is attended by more than 2,000 delegates from across the world who are eager to share, debate and shape new ways for education to transform our world.

GESF 2019 bought together leaders from the public, private and social sectors including 1 head of government, 7 former heads of government, 40 ministers of education, 297 speakers, 124 public sessions, 200+ media, 144 countries, 2000+ delegates, 100+ teachers and 64 grant-making organisations. Amongst the attendees was Dubai crown prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mahmmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, former UK prime minister Tony Blair, vice chancellor of the University of Cape Town, Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng, former minister of education in Zimbabwe, David Coltart, Juan Manuel Santos, former president of Colombia and Sizwe Nxasana, founder and CEO of Future Nation Schools South Africa amongst others.

Being amongst people who are dedicated to shape new ways of education and to transform the world I was reminded of my quest towards contributing to improving the education system in South Africa and Africa at large and provision of quality education for all children. Undoubtedly, education is the key to solving global issues!

In the run-up to the 22nd Prism Awards taking place on Sunday, 14 April, we chatted to this year’s cohort of young judges about their fresh approach to the judging process…

In South Africa, we have 20 000 schools and school principals thereof who have been teachers and have been promoted to be the school principal without any knowledge, skills or training to lead one of the complex organisations, a school. School leadership remains a concern that has affected the entire schooling system. The country’s education system is characterised by severe underperformance and is failing the majority of young people in South Africa.

There is increasing recognition that the role of school principals is not only critical but highly specialised and that school leadership is the critical factor in turning around an education system in crisis. What if every principle of a school had a strong team of supporters?

The world is changing faster than ever before, and there are huge global challenges that need to be overcome. The volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world requires learners to be able to continually adapt to it, and they need to learn the skills necessary to change the world for the better.

Adaptive teaching is one of the components that make 21st-century education. It is an approach that requires teachers to “micro-adapt” their instruction on a continuous basis. Teachers perform a continuous and often informal assessment of their students’ strengths and weaknesses and modify their teaching accordingly. The key aspect of this approach is that it makes children become responsible for and drive their own learning.

Adaptive learning is a concept which I believe has the potential to assist society on how to rethink on how schools are organised and to equip everyone with competencies to reach their full potential.

We don’t know what the future will look like, we can certainly be sure that it will change again and we will have to re-adapt!

The world is enjoying unprecedented social, economic and technological progress, which is transforming how we interact on a global scale. Regardless of the obvious leaps which we have made in recent years, challenges remain, with millions of people still being failed by the systems supposed to serve them.

It is evident that the solutions to these challenges won’t be found merely by looking to the traditional models of global policymaking, business and philanthropy. Instead, a new generation of ordinary people is taking some of the world’s biggest issues head-on – and finding innovative solutions. They are the change makers! Everyone has the potential to be a change maker.

Changemakers are philanthropists and innovators who focus on transforming the world around them into a better place for all. They are those who grasp opportunities, come from any walk of life and from anywhere on the planet. Everyone has the potential to be a change maker. What if we are the leaders we have been waiting for?

Education is a vital tool in helping us reach the goal of one human family through providing access to success and progress in building bridges between human society and breaking down barriers as well building mutual trust and cooperation which are all basic requirements for global progress and world peace.

The big question remains: how do teachers teach tolerance and equip their students to be accepting of differences between ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds?

The 2018 Global Teacher Prize winner, Marjorie Brown from South Africa encourages listening and empathy among her students and this has been influential in transforming the country’s history syllabus. She mentions that everyone has to understand themselves and be prepared to grow. In order for diversity to prevail, we have to have a growth mindset.

Social justice and the need for dialogue are embedded in South Africa’s new constitution, but Brown says the world has to ensure that dialogue and freedom of speech don’t lead to more segregation and more hate.

What is your contribution towards teaching the world to be one human family?

Newsday

By Tatenda Chitagu

18th April 2019

MDC president Nelson Chamisa has extended his uncontested run to eight out of 13 possible nominations for the party’s top post, while vice-president Elias Mudzuri finally got his first nomination to remain in his current post.

The new Masvingo executive, that saw current provincial chairperson James Gumbi retaining his post, unanimously nominated Chamisa to become president ahead of the party congress next month with five more provinces yet to present their nominations.

Mudzuri landed the third vice-president slot nomination while Morgen Komichi was nominated for the first vice-presidency and Welshman Ncube for the second vice-president post.

Happison Chidziva was nominated for the deputy chair position, while Charlton Hwende was nominated for the secretary-general.

Current secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora was not nominated for any post.

David Coltart was nominated for the treasurer-general post.

Luke Tamborinyoka was nominated for the spokesperson post ahead of Jacob Mafume, while Thabitha Kumalo was nominated for the national chair post.

Gumbi beat Simon Mupindu after his initial challenger Tongai Matutu was disqualified for having once defected from the party.

Presiding over the nominations was Jolson Mugari, who said that the process was fair and done in a transparent manner.

Daily News

16th April 2019

THE surprise eviction of popular Ntabazinduna farmers, Brain and Carol Davies, who operate Tabas Induna Farm, has attracted the wrath of local chief, Nhlanhla Ndiweni.

The couple was served with an eviction notice by one Floyd Ambrose on Tuesday last week, according to Tabas Induna spokesperson Buz Davies. “We lodged an appeal late Friday afternoon so we hope it (the eviction) does not happen,” said Buz, who however, could not be drawn into revealing more details on the matter.

Efforts to get a comment from Ambrose on his plans to move into Tabas Induna Farm which was purchased in 1953 by Carol’s grandfather, Jack Parsons, were unsuccessful. Tabas Induna was at one time the largest pig producer in the country with over 12 000 pigs.  It was also home to a large cattle herd, a commercial crocodile farm and a well-established and very successful photographic safari operation.

With the permission of the late Paramount Chief Khayisa Ndiweni, the Davies/Parsons family built Chiefs Lodge in 1992 on the top of Ntabazinduna Hill, a famous historical site that is revered by the Ndebeles.

Despite the historical and cultural significance, Chief Ndiweni trusted the Tabas Induna Farm owners so much that he made the Davies/Parsons family custodians of Ntabazinduna Hill.
Yesterday, Chief Ndiweni told this publication that he was going to do everything in his power to block the eviction.

“The attempted eviction of the Parsons/Davies family from Ntabazinduna Mountain has touched our sense of justice in a most profound manner and every part of our being is screaming out that this is unjust. “When something is unjust, no amount of politics, propaganda, public relations or silence will make it just. This assault upon the Parsons/ Davis family is unjust irrespective of what anyone may say.

“Should it be effected, then the current administration will pay a very heavy price indeed, from within the country, in the region and from the international world. Traditional leaders will be at the forefront of this campaign,” Ndiweni fumed.

Prominent human rights lawyer and former Cabinet minister David Coltart has described the eviction as senseless. “This is just ludicrous – the so-called new dispensation says that land invasions have stopped and yet this family are being forced off their home and business.

“This is a tourist facility, located near Bulawayo’s airport, not a farm – it is only 15 hectares and was a lodge until it was trashed by the same person trying to take it over again. Buz and Carol Davies have been renovating the lodge over the last few years with a view to opening it again, but now out of sheer greed a Zanu-PF-connected person wants it,” said Coltart.

The prominent lawyer added that the eviction was another proof that Zimbabwe is not open for business as claimed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. “Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube is presently in Washington trying to persuade the IMF and World Bank that the regime he represents has turned over a new leaf and deserves support.

How can a government claim to be open for business when it is allowing businesses like this, which have the potential to earn foreign currency and boost our tourism industry, to be stolen in broad daylight?” asked Coltart. Tabas Induna Farm was identified and listed for resettlement by the government in 2000.

The Davies family spent many years trying to get it delisted but despite these efforts it was subdivided into many plots.
According to the family, the ministry of Lands assured them verbally that they could remain in their homestead, but due to hindrances to farming operations by the new settlers, production on a commercial scale was no longer possible or viable.

In a similar case, in 2015 people from Matabeleland united and resisted government efforts to evict another popular white farmer Peter Cunningham from his Maleme Farm in Matobo District.

Demonstrations were staged at the farm against Gwanda Central Intelligence Organisation operative Rodney Mashingaidze who had intended to take over the farm.

Nehanda Radio

13th April 2019

The presidential ambitions of MDC Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora appear to be sinking like the Titanic after the incumbent Nelson Chamisa bagged six nominations from six provinces that have so far conducted their congresses. The MDC elective Congress is set for May 24 to 26.

Chamisa has secured the backing of Matabeleland North and South, United States of America, Midlands and Mashonaland West. The party has a total of 13 provinces.

South Africa, the United Kingdom, Manicaland, Masvingo, Bulawayo, Midlands and Mashonaland Central are still to complete their own congresses and nominations.RELATED ARTICLES

Not everyone though is happy with the manner in which the elections are being conducted with those taking part being forced to raise their hands. This critics say is meant to allow violence and intimidation to sway people into voting for the incumbent or face persecution afterwards.

Voting for provincial elections is via secret ballot but once these are done, the actual nominations by the province for national positions is done by a show of hands. 

Party spokesman Jacob Mafume is quoted saying “We have just finished Mashonaland West and the process went on very well…. (it) does not mean the end for those who have not been nominated because one simply needs one nomination to contest so as it is it’s still game on.”

The consolation for Mwonzora is that Matabeleland South nominated him for the position of Secretary General, already his current position. He is likely to face Hwende who has already bagged 4 out of 6 provinces so far. Hwende is kay Chamisa ally and seen as the front runner for the post.

In a statement issued on Saturday Mafume said; “The MDC has completed six Provincial Congresses with structures electing Provincial leaders and nominating National leaders.

“The Process involves all three wings of the party including the Women and Youth Assemblies. Structures of the party are traveling from different corners of their Provinces to a single centre where elections are conducted.

“The process has been smooth in North America, Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North, Midlands, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland East. Today the same process will take place in respect of Mashonaland Central,” Mafume added.

Mashonaland East nominations

President – Nelson Chamisa
Vice Presidents- Tracy Mutinhiri, Morgen Komichi, Tendai Biti
Secretary General- Chalton Hwende
Deputy SG – Chinanzvavana
Treasurer – David Coltart
Deputy Treasurer – Kureva
Organiser – Amos Chibaya
Deputy Organiser – Mtingwende
Information- Jacob Mafume
Deputy Information – Luke Tamborinyoka

Mat South nominations

President: Nelson Chamisa
Vice: Morgen Komichi, Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube
Chair: Tabitha Khumalo
Vice Chair: Happymore Chidziva
SG: Douglas Mwonzora
Dep SG: Settlement Chikwinya
Treasurer: Tapiwa Mashakada
Deputy Treasurer: Rusty Makam
Organ: Amos Chibaya
Vice: Morgan Ncube
Information: Jacob Mafume

Mat North nominations

President- Nelson Chamisa
Vice Presidents: Welshman Ncube, Morgen Komichi, Tendai Biti
Chair – Gabuza
Vice Chair – Costa Machingauta
SG – Daniel Molokele
DSG – Settlement Chikwinya
TG – Tabitha Khumalo
DTG – Gift Banda
Spokes – Jacob Mafume
D.spokes – Brian Dube
Organ- Amos Chibaya
D Organ – Morgan Ncube

Midlands nominations

President: Nelson Chamisa
VP: Lilian Timveos
VP: Morgen Komichi
VP: Tendai Biti
Chairperson- Thabitha Khumalo
Deputy Chair- Happymore Chidziva
SG: Chalton Hwende
DSG: Settlement Chikwinya
Treasurer: Tapiwa Mashakada
DTG: Gift Banda
Organising Secretary: Amos Chibaya
Dep Organ: Morgan Ncube
Information: Jacob Mafume
Deputy Info: Brian Dube

Mashwest nominations

Pres Nelson Chamisa
VP – Komichi, Biti, Mpariwa
Chair : Tabitha Khumalo
VC: Happymore Chidziva
SG: Chalton Hwende
DSG-
Organ : Amos Chibaya
Dept Org: Morgan Ncube
TG: David Coltart
DTG:
Infor : Luke Tamborinyoka
D. Spokes

North America nominations

President: Nelson Chamisa
Vice President: Morgen Komichi, Welshman Ncube, Lilian Timveos
Chairperson: Tabitha Khumalo
Deputy Chair: Happymore Chidziva
Secretary General: Chalton Hwende
Deputy SG: Settlement Chikwinya
Treasurer: David Coltart
Deputy: M Rusty
Organising Secretary: Amos Chibaya
Deputy Organising: Morgen Ncube
Information: Jacob Mafume
Deputy Information: Luke Tamborinyoka

ZimLive.com

11th April 2019

The MDC congress on 24 and 25 May will elect the leader to succeed founding president Morgan Tsvangirai

Nelson Chamisa was still unopposed after Midlands province became the fourth of the Movement for Democratic Change’s (MDC) 13 administrative provinces to make its nominations ahead of the party’s congress at the end of May.

The party’s secretary general Douglas Mwonzora and one of Chamisa’s three deputies Elias Mudzuri are reportedly angling to challenge the 41-year-old, but they must get at least one nomination each.

Midlands on Wednesday voted to have Chamisa as president, to be deputised by Harare East MP Tendai Biti and Lilian Timveous, an MDC senator from Midlands province.

The results were announced on Thursday morning.

Thabitha Khumalo was nominated for the position of chairperson, to be deputised by Happymore Chidziva.

Charlton Hwende picked up a nomination for secretary general, with Nyasha Chikwinya proposed as his deputy.

Tapiwa Mashakada picked up a nomination for treasurer, with Gift Banda nominated to deputise him.

Amos Chibaya was tipped to retain his post as organising secretary deputised by Morgan Ncube, while Jacob Mafume was also nominated to continue as party spokesman deputised by Gweru Urban MP Brian Dube.

The MDC’s branches in the United States, the United Kingdom and South Africa are considered as provinces, adding to the 10 administrative provinces in Zimbabwe.

The United States was the first to make its nominations, picking Chamisa as leader with Timveous and current vice presidents Welshman Ncube and Morgen Komichi also picking up nominations to stay on.

David Coltart was nominated for treasurer, Hwende for secretary general and Khumalo for chairperson.

Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North both nominated Chamisa as president, with Ncube, Biti and Komichi as his deputies. Khumalo also picked up two nominations for chairperson.

The MDC congress on 24 and 25 May will elect the leader to succeed founding president Morgan Tsvangirai, who died in February last year.

The looming congress has divided the party’s leadership, with moves by Mwonzora and Mudzuri to challenge Chamisa heightening tensions.

Daily News

11th April 2019

A NUMBER of lawyers and pressure groups in Bulawayo have questioned the government’s sincerity in bringing closure to the emotive Gukurahundi issue.

This follows President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s pronouncements on the burning matter on Tuesday, which saw many of the 66 civil society organisations coalescing under the banner of Matabeleland Collective cautiously welcoming the moves – which they said were “a step in the right direction”.

Mnangagwa said then that his government would okay the exhumation and reburial of thousands of people who died during the Gukurahundi atrocities of the 1980s. Apart from reburying the victims of those atrocities, the government also committed to providing birth and death certificates to the children and relatives of the victims who – for decades now – have been facing insurmountable hurdles at the Registrar General’s Offices.

Prominent human rights lawyer and former Cabinet minister David Coltart was among the people and groups who told the Daily News yesterday that while Mnangagwa had “meaningful intentions” he had so far failed to address three critical issues relating to the highly-emotive matter.

“The vast majority of some 2 000 victims … interviewed in the 1990s in the production of the LRF/CCJP report ‘Breaking the Silence’ said that they wanted three broad issues addressed. “Firstly, they wanted an acknowledgement that what had happened, had happened.

Secondly, they wanted an unequivocal apology from the perpetrators and, thirdly, they wanted communal reparations. “Accordingly, while the steps announced mark a step forward they do not tackle these three critical issues. “Exhumations, reburials and the issuing of birth certificates can all be done in a manner which can perpetuate untruths.

“For example, one can persist with the fiction that the deceased (whose remains are going to be exhumed) were killed by dissidents or that they were collaborating with dissidents,” Coltart said.

“If he (Mnangagwa) is genuine and sincere, he will start with facilitating a genuine truth telling, which must be a process presided over by a neutral body which is trusted by the victims, not a body which he has appointed.

“That body must give victims an opportunity to state what happened to them or their loved ones and what they want government to do to achieve peace, reconciliation and forgiveness. “This top-down approach where government simply dictates what it is going to do and allow, indicates a desire to control the process,” Coltart added.

iBhetshu Likazulu, a vocal pressure group which has been at the forefront of calling for justice against perpetrators of the Gukurahundi atrocities said the processes announced by Mnangagwa needed careful consideration and handling.

“Reburials must be done by competent people, but where we have problems is where the truth component is not coming out – regarding why and who did what.

“Besides, there is an issue of evidence destruction. If people are not careful, this whole process will work against victims,” the group’s leader Mbuso Fuzwayo said. “Communities also need to get education on how reburials are done, the steps to be followed before exhumation, and the sites where the bones will be taken to among other things,” he added.

An estimated 20 000 people are said to have been killed mainly in Matabeleland and Midlands when the government deployed the North Korea-trained Fifth Brigade to the two regions, to fight an insurrection.

Unity Day was subsequently set up to commemorate the Unity Accord which was later signed between Zapu and Zanu on December 22, 1987, and which ended hostilities between the two parties.

Mnangagwa, who served as ousted former president Robert Mugabe’s right-hand man for nearly 54 years, last year operationalised the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) as part of his efforts to address unresolved national issues such as the Gukurahundi atrocities.

Last month, he held a crucial meeting with the Matabeleland Collective where he promised to act on their grievances – culminating in Tuesday’s decisions which were announced at a follow-up meeting in Bulawayo by Justice permanent secretary Virginia Mabiza.

Bulawayo 24 News

9th April 2019

OPPOSITION leader Nelson Chamisa has received an early boost ahead of what could turn out to be a bruising contest when the MDC congress gets underway next month after bagging two nominations from two provinces so far.

While many have predicted a tussle of Titanic proportions between Chamisa, his deputy Elias Mudzuri and secretary general Douglas Mwonzora for the position of president, nominations that have come through from the province of United States of America and Matabeleland South show the 41 year old leader running away with it.

MDC organising secretary Amos Chibaya told the Daily News yesterday that Matabeleland South Province on Sunday nominated Chamisa for preside, Tendai Biti and Welshman Ncube as his deputies, Thabitha Khumalo (national chairperson) Happymore Chidziva (deputy national chairperson),Tapiwa Mashakada (treasurer general)   and Rusty Markham(deputy treasurer general).

“All is going on well and peacefully. We hope it will remain like this until we conclude the national congress. Today (yesterday) we are in Matabeleland North with the aim of emulating Mat South so it is all systems go, everything is in place for that province’s congress and nominations,” Chibaya said.

Chibaya also said while Mudzuri who was initially seen as a challenger to the post of president, has not yet received any nomination for any position, Mwonzora has since been nominated for the position of secretary general by Matabeleland South. Mwonzora was nominated for the position of secretary general while Settlement Chikwinya was nominated to deputise him. I was also nominated for the position of national organising secretary with Morgen Ncube as deputy while Jacob Mafume and Bekithemba Mpofu were nominated for secretary for information and deputy respectively,” Chibaya added.

For one to be able to contest for any position, they must be nominated by at least two out of the 19 year-old political outfit’s 13 provinces out of which three including South Africa and the UK are external

For the position of youth assembly, Chibaya said the province had nominated Obey Sithole. The nominations come after one of the party’s external provinces of United States of America also nominated Chamisa on Saturday last week.  

While the province nominated Chamisa for presidency, it opted for youth Assembly secretary general Lovemore Chinoputsa to become youth leader to replace Chidziva who it nominated for position of deputy national chairperson.

The US province also nominated Morgan Komichi, Welshman Ncube and Lilian Timveos for positions of vice president.

Mwonzora, Mudzuri and Biti were all omitted from the USA list that included Charlton Hwende (Secretary General), David Coltart (Treasurer) and Mafume (Spokesperson) among others.

With provincial congresses  still ongoing , it is increasingly looking like there will not be any elections to write home about with Chamisa’s  allies taking almost all on offer during the provincial congresses.

For example, while other positions are still up for grabs in Harare Province, Glen Norah MP  Wellington Chikombo has since been elected provincial chairperson unopposed are getting 29 nominations from 28 districts for the  influential chairperson’s position.

“We are done with Harare in terms of nominations for chairperson and I have been nominated by all the districts meaning there will not be an election. We still however have other positions to be contested where more than two people got nominations we will only sit down to nominate candidates for national positions when my entire executive is fully constituted,” Chikombo told the Daily News yesterday.

This comes as some members are accusing Chamisa of manipulating the structures in his favour and making it hard for his challengers to come out and openly campaign ahead of the congress.

Chamisa’s challengers also accuse his lieutenants of tampering with structures and indirectly making it difficult for those reportedly outside his camp to freely open up and prepare for the elective congress.

The MDC elective congress set for the 24th to the 26th of May, is the first since the death of founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai who succumbed to cancer of the colon in February last year.

Chamisa is seeking to retain the post he took through a national council resolution following the death of Tsvangirai-a development that sparked uproar from Mudzuri and his sympathisers who felt he was entitled to take over instead.

Insiders say, Chamisa therefore  wants  congress to remove any doubts over his legitimacy, as he was confident that he would win against  either  Mudzuri , Mwonzora or both.