MDC-T divisions have disrupted Byo party's youth initiatives

MDC-T youths say divisions in the party's provincial structures have disrupted its initiatives including lobbying the Bulawayo council to give Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai the Freedom of the City.

The youths started lobbying for Tsvangirai to be given the status, which has also been bestowed upon President Robert Mugabe, in August last year.

But MDC-T provincial youth chairman Bekithemba Nyathi told a daily paper that the party's provincial youth assembly was "facing problems".

He said the weekend police crackdown on party members who tried to protest against the continued incarceration of MDC-T youth chairman Solomon Madzore had worsened the situation.

Nyathi said the youths approached councillors last year asking for Tsvangirai to be given the Freedom of the City, but nothing had materialised.

City Mayor Thaba Moyo yesterday said the request had not yet reached his office.

Council has failed to hold the civic awards for the past two years after disagreements emerged over proposals to give the Freedom of the City to Vice-President John Nkomo in 2010.

Some senior MDC-T officials are reportedly against honouring Nkomo claiming his silence on the Gukurahundi atrocities in Matabeleland and Midlands disqualified him.