Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | MDC officials here have vowed to defy a ban imposed on the selection of candidates by party leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Irate officials here have described the move to ban the candidate selection process as a deliberate attempt by Tsvangirai and party Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora to impose candidates ahead of the 2018 polls.

In 2013 the imposition of candidates contributed towards the party’s dismal performance in that year’s watershed polls, party sources have said. Senior party officials here blasted both Tsvangirai and Mwonzora for attempting to trample on the provisions of the party constitution.

“This is a clear attempt to impose their favourite candidates.This time we will resist the deliberate attempt to subvert the will of the people.They are preaching democracy but they do not want to implement fair principles,”said a member of the MDC Provincial Executive Committee who declined to be named.

Mwonzora maintained the selection of candidates had been phased out.He also wrote a memo to all party structures indicating the new position. “It has come to our attention that some provincial members are trying to initiate the candidate selection process ahead of the 2018 elections. Let me state that the Election Directorate -headed by the national chairman-has finalised the candidate selection rules,”said Mwonzora. However provincial executive members here told ZimEye.com despite Mwonzora’s memo, they would not stop the candidate selection process.