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Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
The embattled MDC-T led by Nelson Chamisa continues to plunge deeper into chaos as it failed to hold primary elections to choose candidates for the forthcoming harmonised elections in Masvingo Urban owing to factionalism. Infighting is raging in the party over the choice of the party’s candidate in Masvingo Urban where one faction wants businessman and national executive member Mr Takanai Mureyi to be confirmed uncontested while another faction wants him to square off with former legislator, Mr Tongai Matutu, in the primaries.

It is not clear whether primaries to choose the party’s Masvingo Urban parliamentary candidate will go ahead or Mr Mureyi will sail through uncontested as officials gave conflicting statements.

Plans to hold primary elections for the party’s candidates in Masvingo City’s 10 wards failed to take place last weekend after the situation threatened to degenerate into chaos.

This comes in the wake of reports that the party’s district executive had unanimously resolved that all sitting councillors in Masvingo Urban be shown the door over allegations of failing to apprise the MDC-T leadership in the district on council business, among other charges.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a sitting MDC-T councillor in Masvingo Urban, who is seeking re-election, accused the party’s district executive led by Mr Muranganwa Chanyau of causing chaos within the party.

However, in a sign that the party was heading for an implosion ahead of the coming general elections, some of the party’s candidates insist that primary elections are water under the bridge and the candidate selection process is complete.

They argue that selection of council candidates in Masvingo Urban was completed in February this year after party structures reached consensus and the names were forwarded to the national leadership of MDC-T.

Mr Chanyau said Mr Mureyi was now the official MDC-T candidate for Masvingo Urban.

“Matutu does not meet the criteria to contest our primaries and he is still serving suspension for five years after he dumped the party at one time before coming back so his application was turned down paving for (Mr) Mureyi to sail through uncontested,” said Mr Chanyau.

The Masvingo District MDC-T chair promised that his party will hold primary elections to choose council candidates ahead of the harmonised elections.

Mr Matutu’s return to the MDC-T has created two centres of power in Masvingo Urban where he is fighting for control of the party.

The fight between the two is likely to cost the MDC-T in the harmonised elections in Masvingo Urban.