A by-election in the Harare township of Budiriro will offer the clearest barometer yet of the electoral support that the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) factions command.
That is if voters are not confused by the bizarre phenomenon that the MDC logo will appear twice on the ballot paper — next to Morgan Tsvangirai’s candidate, Emmanuel Chisvuure, and the pro-Senate faction’s Gabriel Chaibva.
The fight over the MDC name and symbols are likely to be ultimately settled in court. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has allowed both candidates to use the same party insignia since neither of the factions raised objections.
An expected 25 000 voters are expected to cast ballots at 24 polling stations for a seat in the 150-member House of Assembly vacated by the death of MDC MP Mutimutema Shoko.
Budiriro is also symbolic in that it is arguably the safest MDC seat in the capital. ”It’s a political laboratory of who is likely to rule the roost in future urban politics,” said Eldred Masunugure of the University of Zimbabwe’s political science department.
Zanu-PF’s Jeremiah Bvirindi, an accountant running businesses in the constituency and the current war veterans’ secretary for production, completes the three-horse race.
At stake for the ruling party will be the merits of its victory in the Senate elections last November, when Budiriro was combined with two neighbouring areas to form one constituency.
Tsvangirai’s faction boycotted the Senate poll and that precipitated a split in the six-year-old party.
The tension in Budiriro is palpable; campaign posters have been defaced and pulled down by rival groups and acts of violence have been recorded. The civic-run Zimbabwe Election Support Network has expressed worry at the ”destruction of four houses and property belonging to Zanu-PF supporters” and two incidents they witnessed in which ”Zanu-PF supporters were assaulted at an MDC rally”.
But Zanu-PF is just a sideshow. The real contest is between the MDC factions. ”It will be difficult for people to make a distinction given that neither Chaibva nor Chisvuure are household names,” believes Masunugure.
Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa, has labelled his erstwhile comrades in the pro-Senate camp ”imposters”. ”The electorate won’t be confused … We have no doubt the Budiriro people are conscious and literate enough to decide their candidate. Chisvuure is a product of an internal democratic process within Budiriro.”
Chisvuure is a trade union activist who cut his teeth in the Iron and Steel Workers’ Union. ”I grew up here in Budiriro. Chaibva is a mere visitor who was rejected in his constituency, Harare South. He is just history,” Chisvuure told the Mail & Guardian.
Chaibva is no stranger to parliament. He was elected as an MP on an MDC ticket in 2000 but failed to get the party nod during the MDC primaries last year. In 1989 he helped form the opposition Zimbabwe Unity Movement led by nationalist Edgar Tekere. ”I have been in the opposition politics for a long time now,” said Chaibva. ”It’s only a political fool who takes people for granted. I’m on the ground mobilising the people.”