Dube sets sights on Njube/Lobengula

Politics
MDC national spokesperson Nhlanhla Dube has won the right to represent his party in the Njube/Lobengula seat.

MDC national spokesperson Nhlanhla Dube has won the right to represent his party in the Njube/Lobengula seat after reaching a consensus with fellow member Dingulwazi Masuku who was also eyeing the seat.

Blondie Ndebele/Nduduzo Tshuma

MDC Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Edwin Ndlovu told Southern Eye that the constituency will no longer go for a primary election as Masuku had agreed to pave way for Dube.

“Dube reached a consensus with Masuku on Monday, so there won’t be any primaries,” he said. “The constituency was the only outstanding one, so this means that the party has completed its candidate list for Bulawayo Province.”

This comes as some members of the party have expressed disgruntlement at Matshobana Ncube’s candidature for the Nkulumane constituency.

Ncube won the party’s primary election with 113 votes against his rival Lexington Dube, who polled 91.

Disgruntled party members said they recognised Dube as their candidate, as he resided in the suburb.

“We as Nkulumane structures from district level, ward level and branch level appreciate that Ncube won elections from Magwegwe constituency,” reads the petition.

“Therefore, we are appealing to the province and national leadership to consider him in Magwegwe not in Nkulumane because he is not known to the structures there.”

Provincial spokesperson, Ndlovu, said the standing committee on Tuesday met and confirmed all the candidates that had won the primary elections and Ncube was their final candidate for Nkulumane constituency.

He denied seeing the petition, but said people should concede defeat and move on with party activities.

“It is unfortunate that the candidate they want lost the election and Ncube managed to win by mobilising a lot of people,” Ndlovu said. “The leadership did not vote in primaries, so those who complain failed to mobilise people and the leaders could not change the election results.”