By Audrey Charowa| As the race to the MDC UK and Ireland Provincial Congress heats up I thought now would be a good time to assess the candidates on the playing field. The elections for the UK & Ireland leadership are slated for Easter Saturday, 20 April 2019 @ Premier Banqueting, Stoney Rock Lane, Leeds LS9 7TZ. The following are the candidates and the office they are contesting:

Chrispen Chamburuka – Chairperson

Chrispen Chamburuka the man who has led the Most Successful MDC Branch in UK and Europe for 9 Consecutive Years is running for the top post, Chairperson of the UK and Ireland MDC Province.

But what do we know about the man?

Chrispen Chamburuka has a Bachelor of science degree in Electrical Engineering as well as another bachelors degree in Mental Health. He also attained an MSc Social work.

Chrispen Chamburuka joined the MDC in December 1999 in Kambuzuma Branch. When he came to the United Kingdom his activism didn’t stop. He joined the MDC Oxford Branch in 2004. In 2005 he was elected Organizing Secretary, a position he served in until 2007 . Mr Chamburuka became Oxford Branch Chairperson in 2007. He stayed in this position until 2014.

Ok, so he can lead but who has he helped?

In 2014 Chrispen Chamburuka elevated the then youth Chair Mcini Dhlodhlo, to be the Chairperson while he became Welfare officer responsible for all Welfare for Zimbabweans in the Oxford area. Currently he is Secretary of an ethnic minoring group in Oxfordshire community. He has run successful twinning programs with 2 constituencies in Zimbabwe. Despite voter fraud on the part of Zanu PF, the two candidates in the twinned constituencies won resoundingly.

Is he a unifier though?

Chrispen Chamburuka was instrumental in helping form the consultative group that unified the fractious MDC factions that had caused the party to splinter. This culminated in the Sheffield integration meeting chaired by President Nelson Chamisa’s Spokesperson, Dr Nkululeko Sibanda on 10 November 2018. This group culminated a successful road-map for co-option into the MDC Alliance banner for our alliance partners.

Kumbirai Chikosha – Treasurer

Experience & Qualifications

• Secretary South East District
• BSc Economics (Hons); MBA
• Strong activist and democracy defender
• Former student leader and organised various demos against the Mugabe regime.
• I have a flair for numbers as I work with financial reports of FTSE100 companies so I will be able to prepare easy to read reports for the MDC
• I am a career banker with years of experience in the City.
• I work with senior managers at CEO and Director levels so can easily approach external financiers for the Party.
• I am connected with a large network of Zimbabwean Professionals in the UK and I will be able to attract them to join the party or contribute financially.
• I have held positions as Branch Treasurer and District Treasurer.

What can people look forward to under Chikosha’s reign?

• I commit to supporting the party by raising funds from the donor community
• I commit to be transparent, accountable, and providing regular financial reports to members
• I commit to bring world class corporate governance in the Treasury department

Lovemore Mazivisa – Vice Secretary for Information & Publicity

Patricia Chinyoka – Secretary for Information & Publicity

Patricia Chinyoka is the candidate for Information and Publicity. As one of the few candidates on the Information and publicity who actually has a twitter account, the assertively spoken, Patricia Chinyoka seems like the most qualified for the position. Patricia holds a Bachelor of science Honours degree in Psychology and an MA in HR & Employment Studies; Assoc (CIPD). She has been entrusted with the trusteeship of Highgate International Church.

Who has Patricia Chinyoka helped?

GoFundMe campaign for David Chamanga (Mtoko MDC member) whose home was burnt down by Zanu PF. Raised money to help him rebuild his kitchen. Currently supporting his son in F2 and granddaughter in Grade 5 with school fees through my charity Care for Someone.

Cyclone Idai – raised funds and supported MDC Musikavanhu constiutency liaising with MDC Cllr Mughido plus others affected. Donated money which went towards groceries. Continuing long term support for this constituency.

Goromonzi South consitutency (my home constituency) support financially ad-hoc (during key points).

Other support – frequently offers financial support to MPs and others in Zimbabwe and within the UK community as and when necessary.

Commission for Enforced Removals (Citizens UK), 2015 lobbied the Home Office to review their enforced removals policy and treatment of individuals being removed from the country.

Citizens UK volunteer – continues to work with this charity and hopes that MDC UK & Ireland will embrace this relationship to re-engage with the Home Office in order to discuss the needs of our local members.

Who is Patricia Chinyoka?

I believe that all leaders should be held accountable for delivery of their portfolios. A pro-active, good listener who has empathy for others, approachable and reliable. An individual who strives to be innovative and is passionate about change and works with integrity in all she does. Patricia is an experienced & frequent public speaker across government departments and private sector organisations such as the Royal Military Academy (Sandhurst) to an audience of over 2,000 and sharing a platform with a senior Army General Commander, HSBC over 250 senior leaders as well as sitting on different panels. A confident presenter and trainer across all levels including CEOs & board members.

Founder, Care for Someone Charity(registered in England & Zimbabwe), supporting children from no income homes continue their education. Working with children in schools in Murewa, Harare, Ruwa and Epworth.  The charity runs a Saturday Club in Ruwa a hub for children to socialise, complete their homework and learn how to use computers.

Lobbied the Zimbabwe Ministry for Primary & Secondary school resulted in a memorandum to all schools banning the requirement to purchase uniforms from schools as part of their school fees structure for example in one school, fees were $70 per term and uniforms cost $270. Parents are now free to source uniforms from other retailers http://careforsomeone.co.uk

A seasoned professional equality, diversity and inclusion adviser, my portfolio includes Foreign Commonwealth Office, RAF, Nationwide, Santander, Shell, Fujitsu, Bird & Bird LLP, Slaughter & May LLP amongst others. Includes delivering training to senior leaders across different organisations.

Patricia Chinyoka is visible on social media platforms – Twitter @chinyokaP; Facebook, LinkedIn; 7, YouTube and Periscope.

David Kadzutu – Secretary for Information & Publicity

MDC UK/lreland Congress’s nominations and elections draw nearer

I joined the MDC in Zimbabwe 1999 when l was a High School History teacher in Plumtree. My passion for MDC has remained intact, unwavering and focused.

In 2003, l moved to UK and remained resolute in the party. I became the first Woking Branch Chairman from 2006-‘11. I then assumed the Organising Secretary Of South West District from 2011 to 2014.

My 17 years in teaching will be helpful as a good listener, good planner, and a good imparter of information. I promise to liaise with the MDC Information & Publicity departments from Branch, District and National levels so that we articulate the same message in line with party Constitution and in conformity to the party modus operandi.

There’re quite a number of our members who suffer from say intrinsic depression, due to say mental health problems because of torture by the ZANU-PF regime back home or immigration issues here in the diaspora. Such comrades would need an ear to see what the problem is and if need be seek for audience with say the International Court Of Justice to redress the atrocities committed by this regime since 1982. Also audience can be sort with the Home Office here was direct to see how best our fellow Zimbabweans can be assisted not persecuted by the system. Hence it is imperative that the lnformation and Publicity department can be the voice of the voiceless. With my BSc Mental Health practitioner it can be used so significantly to assist the needy.

My recent holding of an LLM (Master’s in lnternational Laws) will definitely be of some help in helping interpreting the MDC Constitution from the grassroots to the corporate world. Other Constitutions from other parties or organisations should be studied and analysed how they can work in unison with the MDC.

One of my biggest attributes which can be very important in reaching most people is my ability to speak all 3 predominant languages in Zimbabwe, which are Ndebele, Shona and English. The ability to converse in the language which your recipient speaks is very important to get your message across in the Information and Publicity department. I can be in a good position to contact you through telephone, emails, What’s App, Facebook, Twitter, at 1–1 meetings, inter alia.

I have managed to screen live demonstrations or protest by mainly Zimbabweans through Skype on ZimEye social media. Such demos which l covered were the Chinamasa demo, the Singapore ?? demo, at the Singapore Embassy in London, the Mugabe have gone demo at the Zimbabwe Embassy, in the Movement for Justice demo at Yarslwood Detention Centre, the Joint Black African demo against deportation in Peckham, and Manchester demo and the Brussels demo. Most of these were beamed live internationally with me being the point of contact with ZimEye and the protesters. The lnformation and Publicity department plays a significant role in this, because this needs someone who’s handson and visionary.

It is common knowledge that you haven’t been listened to for quite sometime or you have failed yourself from being listened to or communicated with. That should stop because l promise to be in the trenches with you being in the frontline absorbing all the shock for you. I’m not afraid of facing anyone for the good of the party.

If voted in, l promise to be visionary in approach, transform the approach, focused, and above all upholding the MDC Constitution.

I

Chipo Parirenyatwa -Women’s Assembly Chairperson

Chipo Parirenyatwa has done a stint as Chair of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation (ZHRO). She is a passionate cadre with an effervescent personality. The BBC reports that “She came to the UK in 2000 after her husband was forced to flee the country because of his opposition to the Mugabe Government.”

Njabulo Nwenya – Vice Chairperson

Patrick Chatukuta – Vice Organising Secretary

VOTE PATRICK CHATUKUTA for Vice Organising Secretary 

Patrick is the South East District Organising Secretary 

Patrick is also the MDC London Branch Chairman which is the biggest in UK & IRELAND 
As District Organiser he has rejuvenated The South East District 

His work ethic is admirable

Prosper Karuru

Vusimuzi B. Ncube

Cleopatra “Beauty” Magenga Women’s Assembly Secretary for Information & Publicity

This is Cleopatra Magenga , popularly known as Beauty. She is a prolific online politician that has championed the brand CCC since February 2018. Cleopatra’s activism started in the Student Representative Council at University in Zimbabwe and carried on to the SRC in South Africa. She was an MDC member in Ruwa, Zimbabwe 2010- 12 before moving to Leicester 2012-2013. She was previously an MDC Ncube member. She rejoined MDC Alliance last year at the consultative group meeting in Sheffield.

In her own words… I have a dream big vision and ideological perspective and strongly believe in change delivery for all Zimbabweans. In terms of the women’s assembly l applaud the outgoing team and would love to serve within the incoming team mainly because l believe in empowerment and emancipation of women in their day to day lives as well as in the party structures. I believe in unlocking the chain key between communication and development for sustainability for the parties ethos. Information and Publicity role is there to keep members and none members informed about the party subject to privacy laws. For the women’s assembly the role is for empowerment and development of women within party structures and for women assembly functions, fundraising and marketing efforts.

More to follow….