News / Local
MDC-T chaos spills into Bulawayo
09 Mar 2014 at 08:09hrs | Views
THE internal squabbles that have rocked the embattled MDC-T party have since spilled into Bulawayo province, amid reports that battle lines have been drawn between party vice president Ms Thokozani Khupe and provincial chairperson Mr Gorden Moyo.
The party has over the past weeks been going through turbulent times that have been characterised by violence against senior officials.
In the latest development, it has been revealed that Ms Khupe and Mr Moyo, who were previously close allies, are no longer seeing eye to eye following allegations that Mr Moyo was now aligned to the party's secretary general, Mr Tendai Biti and deputy treasurer general Elton Mangoma's faction, who have reportedly earmarked him to topple Ms Khupe as the party's deputy president.
Last week, Ms Khupe distributed fliers in the city denouncing Mr Moyo's leadership and accusing him of being aligned to Mr Biti and Mr Mangoma.
Impeccable party sources further revealed that Mr Moyo was working with Luveve legislator Mr Reggie Moyo, who is the provincial secretary, to gain support for the Biti faction in the province.
At the height of their alliance, Ms Khupe controversially relinquished her position as Makokoba Member of the House of Assembly to Mr Moyo, in the 31 July 2013 elections, after he had failed to get any seat in the province.
"Mr Moyo is using his link within the civil society sector to influence animosity against the party vice president. He has already made it clear to his constituency (Makokoba) that although Ms Khupe relinquished her position to him, she now had no say on how the constituency functioned and people should simply accept his leadership.
"During provincial executive meetings, Mr Moyo has also made it clear that as the provincial chairperson, he did as he wanted and the national leadership did not have a say on how he ran his province," said the party source.
It is further alleged the provincial chairperson, in a bid to increase his support base in the province, had sent an emissary in the form of Nkulumane legislator Mr Thamsanqa Mahlangu to engage his former rival, Senator Matson Hlalo.
"Mr Moyo has since realised that the Hlalo faction is stronger, and about a month ago he sent Thamsanqa (Mahlangu) to talk to Hlalo and his close allies and the message was clear:‘Asisebenzeni sonke madoda'.
"As it stands right now, it's Ms Khupe against everyone in the province with the two Mr Moyos (Gorden and Reggie) now making it clear that they are working with Senator Hlalo," said the source.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr Moyo or Ms Khupe were, however, fruitless as their phones either went unanswered or were not reachable.
However, the party's provincial spokesperson, Mr Mandla Sibanda dismissed the reports saying the party was more united than ever before.
"As it is I am preparing to get into a provincial executive meeting and I can safely tell you that despite everything that is happening the party is more united than ever before. All that we are waiting for are the 2018 elections and people will see that we are far from being weakened," said Mr Sibanda.
He said if there was any factionalism or infighting the party was yet to hear of it.
The national spokesperson, Mr Douglas Mwonzora, also revealed that despite the numerous stories that were doing the rounds concerning the party's future, they were not losing sleep as everything was being handled in the appropiate manner.
"The party won't die. Yes, we do not condone violence and view the recent events that we experienced as a party as unfortunate but people must not be misled the party is still there and will never die, my advice, however, is that our members also treat themselves in a mature manner and not allow outside elements to divide us,'' said Mr Mwonzora.
The MDC-T has been in chaos since the assault of deputy treasurer Mr Mangoma and youth leader Promise Mkhwananzi at MDC-T party headquarters, Harvest House, for calling for leadership renewal because Morgan Tsvangirai had failed to lead the party to victory in elections from 2000 to 2013.
The problems in the party appeared to have mounted on Friday when the party spokesman Mr Mwonzora announced the suspension of Mr Mangoma. However, the MDC-T secretary general, Mr Tendai Biti held his own Press conference soon afterwards and described the decision to suspend Mr Mangoma on four charges of working against the party as "voidable".
The party has over the past weeks been going through turbulent times that have been characterised by violence against senior officials.
In the latest development, it has been revealed that Ms Khupe and Mr Moyo, who were previously close allies, are no longer seeing eye to eye following allegations that Mr Moyo was now aligned to the party's secretary general, Mr Tendai Biti and deputy treasurer general Elton Mangoma's faction, who have reportedly earmarked him to topple Ms Khupe as the party's deputy president.
Last week, Ms Khupe distributed fliers in the city denouncing Mr Moyo's leadership and accusing him of being aligned to Mr Biti and Mr Mangoma.
Impeccable party sources further revealed that Mr Moyo was working with Luveve legislator Mr Reggie Moyo, who is the provincial secretary, to gain support for the Biti faction in the province.
At the height of their alliance, Ms Khupe controversially relinquished her position as Makokoba Member of the House of Assembly to Mr Moyo, in the 31 July 2013 elections, after he had failed to get any seat in the province.
"Mr Moyo is using his link within the civil society sector to influence animosity against the party vice president. He has already made it clear to his constituency (Makokoba) that although Ms Khupe relinquished her position to him, she now had no say on how the constituency functioned and people should simply accept his leadership.
"During provincial executive meetings, Mr Moyo has also made it clear that as the provincial chairperson, he did as he wanted and the national leadership did not have a say on how he ran his province," said the party source.
It is further alleged the provincial chairperson, in a bid to increase his support base in the province, had sent an emissary in the form of Nkulumane legislator Mr Thamsanqa Mahlangu to engage his former rival, Senator Matson Hlalo.
"Mr Moyo has since realised that the Hlalo faction is stronger, and about a month ago he sent Thamsanqa (Mahlangu) to talk to Hlalo and his close allies and the message was clear:‘Asisebenzeni sonke madoda'.
"As it stands right now, it's Ms Khupe against everyone in the province with the two Mr Moyos (Gorden and Reggie) now making it clear that they are working with Senator Hlalo," said the source.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr Moyo or Ms Khupe were, however, fruitless as their phones either went unanswered or were not reachable.
However, the party's provincial spokesperson, Mr Mandla Sibanda dismissed the reports saying the party was more united than ever before.
"As it is I am preparing to get into a provincial executive meeting and I can safely tell you that despite everything that is happening the party is more united than ever before. All that we are waiting for are the 2018 elections and people will see that we are far from being weakened," said Mr Sibanda.
He said if there was any factionalism or infighting the party was yet to hear of it.
The national spokesperson, Mr Douglas Mwonzora, also revealed that despite the numerous stories that were doing the rounds concerning the party's future, they were not losing sleep as everything was being handled in the appropiate manner.
"The party won't die. Yes, we do not condone violence and view the recent events that we experienced as a party as unfortunate but people must not be misled the party is still there and will never die, my advice, however, is that our members also treat themselves in a mature manner and not allow outside elements to divide us,'' said Mr Mwonzora.
The MDC-T has been in chaos since the assault of deputy treasurer Mr Mangoma and youth leader Promise Mkhwananzi at MDC-T party headquarters, Harvest House, for calling for leadership renewal because Morgan Tsvangirai had failed to lead the party to victory in elections from 2000 to 2013.
The problems in the party appeared to have mounted on Friday when the party spokesman Mr Mwonzora announced the suspension of Mr Mangoma. However, the MDC-T secretary general, Mr Tendai Biti held his own Press conference soon afterwards and described the decision to suspend Mr Mangoma on four charges of working against the party as "voidable".
Source - Sunday News
