More heads to roll at Welshman Ncube's MDC

The Welshman Ncube-led MDC says the party will suspend more members for gross indiscipline and a general failure to conform to the party's outlined principles.

Already two Pumula District leaders in Bulawayo were last week suspended while Matabeleland South provincial chairperson Petros Mukwena was also recently fired on allegations of misconduct.

Edwin Ndlovu, MDC provincial spokesperson, said while politics was a game of numbers, it was prudent for the party to remain with "real" cadres.

"As a party we are principled and disciplined. We do not tolerate any form of indiscipline from any party cadre," Ndlovu told journalists at the Bulawayo Press Club on Friday.

He warned some members whom he said were going around insulting the leadership and dragging the name of the party into disrepute, particularly through the press, saying they faced disciplinary hearings.

"We would rather remain with few people whom we know abide by the party's constitution and policies than fooling ourselves that we have millions when they are ill-disciplined.

"So do not be surprised in the few coming days when you hear that someone has been suspended," Ndlovu charged.

He said it was the emerging behaviour by some party members that has compelled the leadership to take a stand and "put the foot down and say it is either you are with us or you are not."

"What we are saying is we have given them enough time to ventilate, enough time to see the reality that we lost the elections but now we are preparing for the next election which is in less than five years and we need committed cadres," Ndlovu said.

Without stating names and when that would happen, Ndlovu said all alleged ill-disciplined cadres will face "the full wrath of the party."

Ndlovu however, admitted that the party was immersed in serious ructions in the aftermath of the July 31 elections. Singling out the case where some senior members in the party have expressed outrage over the alleged imposition of Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga in the Mzingwane parliamentary seat, he said this was just but a case of sour grapes.

"If you perform dismally in an election problems are bound to happen.

"So what is happening now is just like people who are fighting over a squirrel," Ndlovu said adding that the humiliating election defeat forced senior party members to scramble for the available two parliamentary seats.

"If we had won overwhelmingly like Zanu PF we would not be obviously fighting over such a small issue," he said.

Ndlovu put up appearances of confidence that his party was still going strong despite the turbulent moments they are mired in.