n aspiring MDC-T legislator and a councillor were on Wednesday arrested for allegedly holding an illegal campaign meeting in Jambezi, Hwange, Matabeleland North province.
REPORT BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
Thembinkosi Sibindi and Bethule Nyathi, the MDC-T Matabeleland North provincial organising secretary and Chikandabubi ward secretary respectively, spent the night at Victoria Falls police cells following their arrest.
Sibindi is an aspiring Hwange West legislator while Nyathi is eyeing a council post.
They were picked up by the police after meeting some party members at a homestead in Chikandabubi.
Sengezo Tshabangu, the MDC-T Matabeleland North provincial chairman confirmed their arrest yesterday.
“It is a continuation of intimidation of our party members,” he said.
Thulani Nkala, a lawyer representing Sibindi and Nyathi, said the two were being charged for violating provisions of the Public Order and Security Act (Posa) for holding a meeting without a clearance. Under Posa, it is a crime to hold a public meeting without notifying the police.
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Assistant Inspector Siphiwe Makonese said she was still “checking on details relating to the arrest of the MDC T members”.
MDC-T insiders, however, told the Southern Eye that the two were arrested after being reported to the police by their rivals ahead of this weekend’s primary elections.
Factionalism has always been a hallmark of the Matabeleland North MDC-T provincial structures. Sibindi will square off against Gift Mabhena, the Hwange West sitting legislator who failed to get a confirmation to represent MDC-T. The two have been at loggerheads, fighting for control of the constituency.
At one time, Sibindi was suspended from the structures by the provincial executive, only to be readmitted by the head office, as factionalism reared its ugly head.
Twenty seven sitting MPs out of 97 were not endorsed during the confirmation exercise and will have to face their challengers this weekend.
Abednico Bhebhe, the party’s deputy organising secretary played down the divisions, saying while there could be speculation: “I doubt that our members can cause the arrest of each other over internal political matters.”
