News / Local
Fresh MDC-T fissures
11 May 2014 at 10:04hrs | Views
MDC-T acting Bulawayo chairperson Dorcas Sibanda has accused Pumula MP Albert Mhlanga of indiscipline after he claimed that party leader Morgan Tsvangirai gave him the nod to suspend provincial chairman Gorden Moyo.
Tsvangirai has since distanced himself from the claims saying he could not be seen to be challenging his deputy Thokozani Khupe who recently reportedly blocked Moyo's suspension.
Moyo who took a sabbatical from MDC-T activities in March, has been accused of sympathising with the faction led by secretary-general Tendai Biti pushing for Tsvangirai's ouster.
Mhlanga is the MDC-T provincial secretary and is one of those being touted to replace Moyo if he is eventually pushed out.
However, Sibanda who is also Bulawayo Central MP, told Southern Eye last week that the party's members were not happy with Mhlanga's political machinations. She said Mhlanga is fanning divisions in the party, which has been rocked by infighting.
"It is indiscipline of the highest order. He should know his boundaries and protocol in the party," Sibanda charged.
"He should not have bypassed me (as acting chairperson) and gone to Harare for whatever purpose.
"In fact, there was no need to go to Harare wasting his fuel yet all the answers he needed, he would have obtained from Bulawayo."
Mhlanga was not reachable for comment yesterday.
Party insiders said the majority of provincial leaders wanted Mhlanga investigated as they suspected he was part of the MDC-T renewal team, allegedly meant to destabilise Bulawayo structures.
An insider claimed Mhlanga openly challenged Khupe at a meeting by seeking to overturn a recent workshop "using populist talk around the Moyo issue".
But an MDC-T national executive committee member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there is a general consensus the Mhlanga episode should be ignored to avoid further and unnecessary spotlight on the party. Last Wednesday there were reports that pamphlets denouncing Khupe were strewn around City Hall as she attended the Bulawayo City Council monthly meeting.
Tsvangirai has since distanced himself from the claims saying he could not be seen to be challenging his deputy Thokozani Khupe who recently reportedly blocked Moyo's suspension.
Moyo who took a sabbatical from MDC-T activities in March, has been accused of sympathising with the faction led by secretary-general Tendai Biti pushing for Tsvangirai's ouster.
Mhlanga is the MDC-T provincial secretary and is one of those being touted to replace Moyo if he is eventually pushed out.
However, Sibanda who is also Bulawayo Central MP, told Southern Eye last week that the party's members were not happy with Mhlanga's political machinations. She said Mhlanga is fanning divisions in the party, which has been rocked by infighting.
"It is indiscipline of the highest order. He should know his boundaries and protocol in the party," Sibanda charged.
"He should not have bypassed me (as acting chairperson) and gone to Harare for whatever purpose.
"In fact, there was no need to go to Harare wasting his fuel yet all the answers he needed, he would have obtained from Bulawayo."
Mhlanga was not reachable for comment yesterday.
Party insiders said the majority of provincial leaders wanted Mhlanga investigated as they suspected he was part of the MDC-T renewal team, allegedly meant to destabilise Bulawayo structures.
An insider claimed Mhlanga openly challenged Khupe at a meeting by seeking to overturn a recent workshop "using populist talk around the Moyo issue".
But an MDC-T national executive committee member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there is a general consensus the Mhlanga episode should be ignored to avoid further and unnecessary spotlight on the party. Last Wednesday there were reports that pamphlets denouncing Khupe were strewn around City Hall as she attended the Bulawayo City Council monthly meeting.
Source - Southern Eye
