Mafa goes back to Tsvangirai

FORMER members of the Independent Candidates Coalition (ICC) who were expelled from the party following their move to contest the last year's July 31 elections as independent house of assembly candidates against the MDC-T directive that they should not, were last Saturday re-admitted into the party at the Bulawayo provincial offices.

Former Magwegwe house of assembly member Felix Magalela Mafa Sibanda,former Mpopoma Pelandaba MP Samuel Sandla Khumalo and Prince Dube were expelled from the party following their refusal to step down and pave way for new candidates to contest the seats.

They were disputing that the primary elections were rigged and opted to stand as independent candidates.

Yesterday Mafa Sibanda who was the spokesperson of the coalition confirmed that they had been re-admitted into the party after consultation with party's President Morgan Tsvangirai and the provincial leadership.

"After various considerations, we discovered that many formations of the MDCs and other opposition political parties may not enjoy and achieve intended goals of democratisation of Zimbabwe," said Mafa Sibanda.

"This was necessitated by Dr Tsvangirai's calls for unity by all opposition political parties ahead of 2018 elections. I and Khumalo personally talked to Tsvangirai and we considered that re-uniting with the MDC-T was more progressive than being retrogressive."

Mafa Sibanda said they discussed with Tsvangirai and agreed a lot of mistakes were done when some candidates were imposed in many constituencies influenced by those backing the former secretary General Tendai Biti's Renewal Team camp who were made to be MPs through rigging of the primary elections.

"We agreed that what was done during the primary elections should not be repeated if the party must survive," said Mafa Sibanda.

"Therefore we have started to work with the party to strengthen its structures and democratise the party. We are happy to work with the party. We did not dispute Tsvangirai's leadership and party's principles but as coalition members we were against the imposition of candidates during primary elections."

Sibanda said it is now clear and known that he won the primary elections but the provincial leaders manipulated the results to suit their own interests and put their own people most of them backing the renewal team.

"We formed the coalition in protest against the rigging of primary elections but we still supported Tsvangirai and party principles. We have realised that unity is important and Tsvangirai must be given a chance as there was a lot of progress which people are still benefiting from when he engaged into the government of national unity (GNU)," he said.

Mafa Sibanda lashed out at the renewal team for calling for Tsvangirai's ouster saying they were a bunch of power hungry yet supportless people who would fail to achieve anything.

He said before they (coalition members) re-joined MDC-T, Biti's renewal team approached him asking him to join them and promising to make him their spokesperson but he shut them out.

"These are the people who sponsored Promise Mkwananzi to destabilise the party in Bulawayo," said Mafa Sibanda.

"They approached me promising to make me a spokesperson in their renewal team but I scoffed at them. They are power hungry and after making money. I told them I would rather work with the party I participated in its formation."

He said after they feared to be beaten by Tsvangirai and other strong leaders of the party at congress the Biti camp just planned to say they have suspended Tsvangirai and other leaders.

"They are afraid to be beaten at congress and saw it better to claim they have suspended leaders," he said.

"Why did they not wait and contest for leadership at congress. What they are doing is a coup d'état. I challenge them to either come to congress and contest or form their party. Our coalition was meant to expose such people like Biti and Elton Mangoma who have been crafting their plot to oust leadership."

Mafa Sibanda said following the massive exposure of the renewal team's plot as from primary election to take over from the party's leadership, Bulawayo organising secretary Albert Mhlanga has apologised to them over the rigging of primary elections where he assisted those who now emerge as members of the renewal team to be MPs.

"Mhlanga apologised to Magwegwe, Entumbane-Emakhandeni, Mpopoma-Pelandaba and Luveve constituencies for the wrongs done during primary elections last year. We accepted the apology and we have started working with the party," Mafa Sibanda said.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Mhlanga confirmed that he re-introduced Mafa Sibanda and his former coalition members back into the party at the Bulawayo offices on Saturday.

"Yes we have re-admitted them back into the party and I re-introduced them to party members at a meeting held at the party offices on Saturday," Mhlanga said.

"All of those members who formed the coalition last year were re-admitted into the party. I also apologised to them over what I did to them during primary elections. What I did was satanic and I am glad they forgave me as they are now working with the party."

Bulawayo MPs who are reported to be in the renewal team are Bekithemba Nyathi of Mpopoma Pelandaba, Reggie Moyo of Luvele and Samuel Sipepa Nkomo of Lobengula among others.

Mhlanga of Pumula is also accused of being in the renewal team but yesterday denied the claims saying he was fully behind Tsvangirai's leadership and will not move an inch.

"I am in Tsvangirai's camp we differ with Vice President Thokozani Khupe in thinking but I am not for the renewal team and I am going anywhere," said Mhlanga.