#ElectionsZW: I rejected Mhetu’s call to remove Mwonzora, says Chiposi
Losing MDC Alliance candidate for Kambuzuma Fungai Chiposi, says he rejected calls from Zivai Mhetu to vote for the removal of Douglas Mwonzora following the party’s dismal showing in the by-elections.
MDC Alliance failed to win any of the seats (National Assembly and local authority) that were being contested on the 26th of March by-elections.
In most polling stations, MDC Alliance candidates failed to get even 10 votes.
This resulted in some party members especially losing candidates suggesting that the party leader must step down.
Zivai Mhetu who lost the Epworth Constituency seat was instrumental in lobbying members toward the move. This led to his suspension from the party.
However, in an interview, Fungai Chiposi who was also suspended by the party said he rejected the call to remove Mwonzora.
According to Chiposi, he believes there is a need for a survey first before people can point fingers at Mwonzora.
‘’The rumour had circulated; I was aware of some of the lobbying that was happening behind scenes. For some reason, I was the person that was not lobbied. I think it’s because of my close connection to the president that I hold the president in high esteem.
‘’My reason for not voting for the president to step down was my view that I have of the man. My second reason was that I thought it was too early to the election for us to be making decisions like that, especially if we don’t have what I would call empirical evidence that the people are not voting for us because we have Douglas Mwonzora as the president,’’ he said.
There could be many reasons for the loss
Chiposi said there are a lot of reasons that could have led to the party performing badly. He said it could be because the messages were not resonating well with people’s expectations.
‘’I think these are some of the things that we need to have a proper market survey so that we then know that this is what is affecting us. It may not be the president, it may be the message that we came with.
‘’It may be certain things that were amiss in terms of addressing during the period that we came from 30 March just after the supreme court judgment up to now it maybe some of those things.
‘’It may also be simple explanations that are required. Because we all know that the recalls that were made prior to the extraordinary congress and the ones that came after the extraordinary congress which was 30 March 2020.
‘’They were all done as a team including (Thokozani) Khupe and all. So, I think it was just a question of going to the people and explaining clearly where we are coming from as a party, why we have done this. I think those are the things that are required I am open to correction.
‘’So, that was part of my reason for saying I don’t think at this moment I would want to take particular action as to vote for the removal of the president but I was quite curious to go and sit in the national council and hear the debates that would have ensured,’’ he said.
#ElectionsZW: I rejected Mhetu’s call to remove Mwonzora, says Chiposi
