The Sunday Mail
MDC-T is using independent candidates as proxies in the 14 parliamentary by-elections set for June 10 following its decision to boycott the polls, it has emerged.
Thirty-seven independent candidate out of 102 candidates filed nomination papers last week, making this the highest number of such candidates to contest in by-elections.
This sudden influx of non-party parliamentary aspirants has raised eyebrows among analysts who say MDC-T is being hypocritical by discrediting the polls while at the same time, participating via proxies.
Information gathered by The Sunday Mail indicates that the party wants to co-opt independents who would have won into its ranks. However, if they lose, the MDC-T will continue harping on about the elections lacking legitimacy due to the absence of strong opposition candidates.
The law allows independent legislators to cross the floor.
Political analyst Mr Godwin Mureriwa said MDC-T now fears losing following its successive electoral defeats by Zanu-PF.
“MDC-T is hiding behind independent candidates because they want to claim the seats if the candidates win and save face if they lose. It is, however, cowardice for them to act in such a manner because a ‘democratic party’ should always come out in the open and not be afraid of a democratic process.
“I think they are playing hide-and-seek with their supporters. They are not boycotting elections; they are boycotting defeat because after their overwhelming defeat in the last elections, they know they will lose again. They want to appear as if they are still relevant so that their Western donors can keep giving them money.”
Another political analyst, Professor Claude Mararike, weighed in: “It’s cowardice on their part to employ such a political strategy. Why are they afraid of coming out in the open? The process requires a lot of money, so one wonders where these independent candidates are getting the money from.
“It is, therefore, obvious that there is a hand behind this.”
