Move to oust Gorden Moyo from MDC-T

As infighting rages on in the MDC-T, a perceived Morgan Tsvangirai faithful, Gift Banda, is being positioned to take over the Bulawayo provincial chairperson's position, elbowing out the city's Makokoba legislator, Gorden Moyo, seen as an Elton Mangoma sympathiser, it emerged Sunday.

Moyo, a former minister in the inclusive government, is currently on 'sabbatical' as MDC-T provincial chairperson.

There has been speculation that 'by going on sabbatical at this crucial hour', Moyo wants to avoid being dragged into party's infighting where there were now two groups fighting for the control of MDC-T. The groups consist of one loyal to the MDC-T  president, Morgan Tsvangirai, and the other led by the suspended national deputy treasurer, Elton Mangoma, who wants Tsvangirai to step down and pave way for a new leader, capable of unseating President Robert Mugabe.

When Tsvangirai addressed a rally at Stanley Square more than a week ago to gauge his support in Bulawayo, Moyo did not attend and some supporters in the audience questioned his absence at the meeting where party bigwigs from the province were asked to 'swear allegiance' to Tsvangirai. One member of the provincial executive confided in The Zimbabwe Mail at the rally that Moyo was 'asked to show face at the rally, but he had declined'.

Yesterday, a source in the party said Banda, who is also Bulawayo's deputy mayor, but not a member of the provincial executive, has of late been active in the party, rubbing shoulders with the top echelon as he allegedly repositions himself to take over from Moyo.

"He has been financing party activities and was seen around Tsvangirai during the president's  visit to Bulawayo recently," said the source.

During the rally, Banda was seated at the high table. Banda took over as deputy mayor in a controversial manner early this year, with some MDC-T members accusing him of using cash to muscle his way to the top, and in the process elbowing National University of Science and Technology lecturer, Mandla Nyathi, out of contention.

Banda, however, disputes ever buying his ways to the deputy mayor's position, saying the accusations were 'gutter rubbish'.

A senior member of the MDC-T yesterday said it was possible that Banda could spring another surprise and land the provincial chairmanship.

"Some of us who are in the narrow and straight were opposed to his election as deputy mayor and it is quite possible that there might be moves to make him provincial chairperson," said a senior MDC-T member in the city. Contacted for comment, Banda denied any interest in the provincial chairmanship.

"The congress will only be in 2016 and if you were asking me about the position then maybe my answer would be different," he said.  "It's very far away to be talking about it.   At the moment, there is no vacancy."

Banda scoffed at claims that he was assisting in funding party activities.

"It's difficult to fund myself and you are talking of funding the party, that's not true," he said.

He said people were "reading too much" into the issue of Moyo taking a sabattical.

"If he says he wants to read, lets accept that but if we start asking ourselves why he wants to study now, then we have a problem," said Banda. Moyo could not be reached for comment at the time of going to print last night.