MDC-T drags rebels to court over Tsvangirai's face

The Movement for Democratic Change led by PM Morgan Tsvangirai has dragged four of its expelled members to the High Court pleading with the courts to bar them from using its logos and campaign materials ahead of the forthcoming elections.

Kidwell Mujuru, Felix Magalela Sibanda, Samuel Sandla Khumalo and Prince Dube were expelled from the party after they submitted their papers to stand as independent candidates following their losses in primary elections, the Southern Eye reported.

In his founding affidavit, MDC-T provincial chairman Gorden Moyo, who is representing the party, wants the respondents to stop using the party president Morgan Tsvangirai's picture in their campaigns.

The MDC-T said Tsvangirai's face could be regarded as artistic work and was protected by copyright law and the respondents had not received permission to use the picture in their campaigns.

In the urgent chamber application, the MDC-T is represented by Kucaca Phulu of Phulu and Ncube Legal Practitioners.

Gorden Moyo, in an interview, said they had sought the intervention of the courts, as they had a responsibility to "protect our brand".

"We cannot just allow someone to ride on our brand yet they have ceased to be part of us," he added.