News / Local
Ongafuniyo kayekele slogan divisive and undemocratic
29 May 2014 at 06:09hrs | Views
THE MDC-T Bulawayo provincial executive has banned party supporters from using the ongafuniyo kayekele slogan saying it was divisive and undemocratic.
The party has been using it as a rallying cry in the past, but has now banned its use on grounds that it fuelled infighting as some party members evoked it to settle personal scores, party insiders said.
Provincial executive members led by organising secretary and Pumula legislator Albert Mhlanga, former deputy mayor and businessman Alderman Amen Mpofu and Bulawayo East MP Tabitha Khumalo have since been tasked with conducting outreach meetings to inform structures about the banning of the slogan.
"Alderman Mpofu raised a motion for the slogan to be dumped during a recent provincial council meeting. His motion got support from provincial executive members and it was resolved that it (slogan) be dropped," a provincial executive member told Southern Eye.
"It was also resolved that Mpofu, Mhlanga and Khumalo be tasked with holding meetings with district structures and implore party members to desist from using this slogan that was condemned as divisive and projecting the party as arrogant, a dictatorship and undemocratic."
Acting provincial spokesperson Swithern Chirowodza refused to comment yesterday over the issue.
However, Mpofu confirmed the slogan ban in a telephone interview saying the MDC-T should have slogans that entice people to join the party than to chase them away.
"There is no serious politician that can go to the people and utter that slogan. There is no way I could continue supporting that slogan. There is strength in numbers and I personally think that without that slogan we could have had the numbers that we wanted," Mpofu said.
"Politics is a game of numbers. Politicians need to go to the people to kneel down before them and beg for their support. There is no need for ‘we don't care' attitude as was the case with that slogan," he added.
According to sources, the slogan was popularised by MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe who is being fingered in fomenting factionalism. Khupe was not answering her phone yesterday.
The party has been using it as a rallying cry in the past, but has now banned its use on grounds that it fuelled infighting as some party members evoked it to settle personal scores, party insiders said.
Provincial executive members led by organising secretary and Pumula legislator Albert Mhlanga, former deputy mayor and businessman Alderman Amen Mpofu and Bulawayo East MP Tabitha Khumalo have since been tasked with conducting outreach meetings to inform structures about the banning of the slogan.
"Alderman Mpofu raised a motion for the slogan to be dumped during a recent provincial council meeting. His motion got support from provincial executive members and it was resolved that it (slogan) be dropped," a provincial executive member told Southern Eye.
"It was also resolved that Mpofu, Mhlanga and Khumalo be tasked with holding meetings with district structures and implore party members to desist from using this slogan that was condemned as divisive and projecting the party as arrogant, a dictatorship and undemocratic."
However, Mpofu confirmed the slogan ban in a telephone interview saying the MDC-T should have slogans that entice people to join the party than to chase them away.
"There is no serious politician that can go to the people and utter that slogan. There is no way I could continue supporting that slogan. There is strength in numbers and I personally think that without that slogan we could have had the numbers that we wanted," Mpofu said.
"Politics is a game of numbers. Politicians need to go to the people to kneel down before them and beg for their support. There is no need for ‘we don't care' attitude as was the case with that slogan," he added.
According to sources, the slogan was popularised by MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe who is being fingered in fomenting factionalism. Khupe was not answering her phone yesterday.
Source - Southern Eye
