MDC installs interim leadership

Politics
THE MDC led by Welshman Ncube has installed an interim executive to run the party’s Bulawayo youth assembly that has been hard hit by resignations since the heavy loss in last year’s general elections.

THE MDC led by Welshman Ncube has installed an interim executive to run the party’s Bulawayo youth assembly that has been hard hit by resignations since the heavy loss in last year’s general elections.

NQOBANI NDLOVU STAFF REPORTER

The MDC ship almost ran aground as high-ranking and low-ranking members quit the party after the devastating loss in which it failed to secure a single directly contested seat in the National Assembly.

Former Bulawayo MDC youth assembly chairperson Jackson Lunga quit to join the MDC-T while other members stepped down or were suspended over various charges.

About a fortnight ago, former MDC legislators Edward Mkhosi, who was also the party’s Copac co-chair, and Siyabonga Malandu-Ncube also quit and rejoined the MDC-T at a rally in Makokoba.

The MDC dismissed their resignations as a non-event, but insiders said the party went into overdrive after their resignation to try and paper over the cracks. A new interim youth assembly executive led by Shepherd Mhlonitshwa Dube was installed last week to take charge of the youth affairs as the party tries to remain afloat.

MDC Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Edwin Ndlovu confirmed the developments.

“The interim youth assembly will oversee the running of the youth structures in Bulawayo until we call for a provincial assembly to elect a substantive team,” he said.

Bulawayo MDC chairperson Oscar Ncube said the election of an interim youth assembly was testimony that the party was not disintegrating.

“This signifies that we are still intact. The party is bigger than any individual and no one is indispensable.

“We have a lot of members of the party who are capable of taking over whatever position that might fall vacant,” he said yesterday.

The MDC has not been visible lately with the party’s spin doctors saying it is reorganising and restrategising.