MDC-T has said it will also be employing a consensus candidate selection model alongside its primaries set any time before the end of March.

The model has over the past months been hyped by opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) as a new alternative to internal elections which have been used in coming up with candidates previously.

Despite it receiving a fair share of criticism from analysts who believe it might not be different from primaries, CCC maintains it will forge ahead.

Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com MDC-T spokesperson Witness Dube said although his party will not do away with primary elections it will prioritise the new method where members agree on a specific candidate.

"As a party, we resolved that we would do primary elections by the end of March. Our organising department is putting in place teams to oversee them," said Dube.

"Very soon we will be inviting prospective candidates to submit their applications for consideration by the party.

"It must be made clear that as a formation we believe in rational disputation, in consensus building so much that we are going to give priority to consensus before the primary elections.

"We are going to give priority to consensus building so that where candidates or structures agree we do not have to go through the primary election route.

"As democrats we are going to give people an opportunity to choose who they want through the process of a primary election."

Zimbabwe heads of watershed elections tentatively in August with ruling Zanu PF having already set its primaries for Saturday.

The Douglas Mwonzora-led party has, over the past months, fallen victim to accusations of 'selling out,' mainly as a result of the former party Secretary General's softened approach to dealing with Zanu PF.