MDC ALLIANCE IN ELECTION CHAOS

The MDC Alliance is heading for very choppy waters as elections loom. MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu has unilaterally declared his intention to...

The MDC Alliance is heading for very choppy waters as elections loom. MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu has unilaterally declared his intention to contest the Harare East constituency, a move that is being perceived as ultra vires the alliance agreement.

According to the document signed by partners, a party that enjoys majority support in a constituency will field a candidate, but there is no criterion for determining the party’s popular support to warrant reservation of the seat, considering that some of the parties have not participated in an election before.

“The party, which is the strongest [in bold]; electorally in a given constituency must field the candidate for the coalition,” Section 3.0 (C) states. The alliance has chosen Tendai Biti as the candidate for Harare East.