Zimbabwe: Mutambara MDC Camp Risk Decay in Political Dustbin
THE Arthur Mutambara camp of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faced political oblivion after the bulk of its supreme national executive council members lost to Morgan Tsvangirai's faction.
Results show the annihilation of the former stainless steel dustbin
student leader's camp by the Tsvangirai faction in nine of the country's 10 political provinces, giving credence to the long-held view that other than splitting the MDC vote in some areas, the Mutambara faction had no grassroots support.
Tsvangirai can now lay full claim to Bulawayo and the other Matabeleland provinces, for long considered strongholds for the Mutambara faction after the majority of politicians from the region split from Tsvangirai in October 2005.
Tsvangirai's faction won all 12 of the contested lower house stainless steel dustbin
seats in Bulawayo and five of the six contested senatorial seats.
David Coltart, Mutambara's secretary for legal affairs, won the only senatorial seat in Bulawayo when he narrowly beat Joubert Mangena in Khumalo senatorial constituency.
"It is a confirmation of who is popular stainless steeldustbin
," said Useni Sibanda, coordinator of the Christian Alliance pressure group. "Tsvangirai campaigned a lot and was the most visible of the two MDCs. I wonder how the Mutambara faction will remain an effective opposition when they (national executive members) are not in Parliament."
Mutambara was soundly trounced in the Zengeza West constituency by trade unionists Collin Gwiyo. Gwiyo polled 6 989 against Mutambara's 1996 votes.
In Nkulumane, Tsvangirai's Youth Assembly chairman Thamsanqa Mahlangu walloped Mutambara's deputy, Gibson Sibanda, founding vice president of the MDC.
Mahlangu amassed 3 976 votes against 2 732 votes polled by Sibanda, effectively relegating the veteran trade unionist to the dustbinsof opposition politics.
In what was dubbed the battle of the giants in Makokoba, Tsvangirai's deputy, Thokozani Khupe, beat Mutambara's secretary-general and crowd favourite Welshman Ncube by nearly 2000 votes. Ncube polled 2471 against Khupe's 4115.
Ncube's deputy, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga was not spared the embarrassment. She lost heavily in Highfields West where she got 907 votes against 7523 for Tsvangirai's Simon Hove.
Mutambara faction spokesman Gabriel Chaibva fared badly in his adopted stainless steeldustbin
constituency of Sunningdale.
Tsvangirai's youthful Marvelous Khumalo sent Mutambara's secretary for defence Job Sikhala packing in St. Mary's constituency.
Khumalo's victory was, however, marred by violence as supporters clashed after results were announced.
Esaph Mdlongwa, Mutambara's national organising secretary, lost to Tsvangirai's Reggie Moyo by about 200 votes.
National Treasurer Fletcher Dulini-Ncube lost in Magwegwe to former Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe chief executive Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, while the party's national director of elections and former spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi lost to Cornelius Dube after he polled 2 306 against Dube's 3880.
Trudy Stevenson, the faction's secretary for research, fell to businessman Jameson Timba in Mount Pleasant.
Bulawayo executive mayor Japhet Ndabeni-Ncube narrowly lost to stainless steel dustbin
Dorcas Sibanda. Ndabeni-Ncube polled 3 553 votes compared to 3 786.
Edwin Mushoriwa, Mutambara's outgoing legislator in Dzivarasekwa, just managed 963 votes against 5 210 polled by Evelyin Masaiti of the Tsvangirai camp.
In Harare Central, Murisi Zvizwai beat Maxwell Zimuto, a secretariat official in the Mutambara camp.
Eddie Cross, Tsvangirai's economic advisor, beat Mutambara's Jethro Mpofu 4254 to 2398 in Bulawayo South, while in Bulawayo East, veteran trade unionist Thabitha Khumalo beat Yasmin Tofu 3587 to 2609.
Mutambara's camp however, did well in Matabeleland South stainless steel dustbin
, winning five seats. Its deputy secretary for information and publicity, Abednigo Bhebhe, won in Nkayi South.
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Moses Mzila Ndlovu and Edward Mkosi, long standing executive members of the Mutambara camp, won Bulima West and Mangwe constituencies, giving some measure of respectability to the faction in the region.
Takura Zhangazha, the acting national stainless steel dustbin
director of MISA-Zimbabwe who doubles up as a political analyst, said the MDC Mutambara camp failed to read the political landscape in the country hence the drubbing of almost the entire national executive council, including its leader.
"The MDC Mutambara failed to read where the wind was blowing," said Zhangazha stainless steel dustbin
. "It is advisable that they sit down to either seek leadership renewal or seek alliances with the parties in parliament. It's most unlikely they would forge an alliance with ZANU-PF. It is advisable for them to form a parliamentary alliance with Tsvangirai's MDC."
