Violent clashes at MDC-T meeting

THE beleaguered MDC-T was on Thursday thrown into further crisis when rival factions were involved in violent clashes during a Bulawayo provincial youth wing meeting, it has been learnt.

The meeting was meant to pass a vote of no confidence against its chairperson, Mr Bekithemba Nyathi who is also the Member of the House of Assembly for Mpopoma - Pelandaba constituency. The legislator has been accused of rallying behind expelled deputy treasurer general, Mr Elton Mangoma and his leadership renewal agenda.

According to impeccable party sources, the meeting had to be cut short after the rival factions clashed outside the party offices, which are located along Fort Street between First and Second Avenue.

It is reported that some of the youths aligned to Mr Nyathi had been bussed from Luveve constituency whose legislator, Mr Reggie Moyo, has also been accused of being part of the Mangoma faction.

"We could not pass the vote of no confidence because as soon as the motion was raised violence erupted outside the offices, which resulted in some youths finding refuge inside the offices as they were being pelted with stones.

"The meeting had to be abruptly ended as the youths were now fighting while accusing each other of being sell-outs. Those aligned to Mr Nyathi were declaring that as long as they were alive, he was untouchable," said the source.

Contacted for comment, Mr Nyathi confirmed that the meeting had to be abruptly ended because of the violent clashes, claiming that it was the works of a few drunken individuals who had come to the meeting with the sole intention of manhandling him.

"It is unfortunate that there are some people who think they can do as they will within the party. In the case of the Thursday meeting those individuals were drunk and just out to disrupt the meeting.

"They knew it was not going to be easy just to oust me therefore their sponsors gave them cheap alcohol to drink before the meeting and when they realised that the outcome of the meeting was not going according to their will they then turned violent. Some of them wanted to manhandle me after the meeting," he said.

Mr Nyathi denied allegations that he had also recruited some youths to protect him.

He alleged that he was never part of any faction and further said as far as he was concerned no-one was going to suspend him because he had never violated the party constitution.

"I know there are some elements within the party who now want to drag the party president's (Mr Morgan Tsvangirai) name into their selfish agendas, they know we are approaching congress hence want to position themselves for certain positions," he said.

The party's acting provincial chairperson, Ms Dorcas Sibanda, also confirmed the outbreak of violence, saying this was the work of hooligans who wanted to destroy their party from within.

"This is all the work of hooligans who want to destroy the party from within, which we will not allow; we will remain focused on our primary goal of regime change.

"The youth wing had its own reasons for calling that meeting and because of some unscrupulous individuals the meeting was then disrupted, which by all means has to be condemned but I should warn people that we will always remain focused despite such unfortunate events," said Ms Sibanda.

Over the past couple of months the party has been on a drive to purge any of its members believed to be associated with the Mangoma faction. First to be shown the door was Matabeleland South provincial chairperson, Mr Watchy Sibanda, the Matabeleland North provincial executive led by chairperson Mr Sengezo Tshabangu was also disbanded for being aligned to the faction.

Harare provincial members passed a vote of no confidence against its leadership led by Mr Paul Madzore, with party's provincial spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu alleging that the vote of no confidence was necessitated by the lack of leadership qualities on the part of Mr Madzore, although the move was later reversed by the party's organising secretary, Mr Nelson Chamisa.