MDC-T Veterans abandon Biti

MDC Veteran Activists (VAA) consisting of stalwarts that have been active in the party since 1999 have rejected secretary general Tendai Biti and his leadership renewal team, opting to side with the president Morgan Tsvangirai as the party continues to implode.

Addressing journalists at the MDC-T provincial offices in Bulawayo this morning (Sunday) VAA Bulawayo chairperson Joubert Mangena said Biti and his crew were renegades who were not in any way associated with VAA.

 "We want it to be known that we are 100 percent behind Morgan Tsvangirai and the people who were voted into leadership positions during the party's last congress. Biti and his renewal team will never get our support. As VAA, it is our duty to safeguard part core values and principles lest they be distorted Animal Farm style," said Mangena.

Flanked by acting MDC-T Bulawayo spokesperson Swithern Chirowodza who is also the MDC-T Bulawayo provincial secretary for research and policy, VAA coordinator for the southern region Gideon Mangena, Sihle Masina and other officials, the group bemoaned the lack of veterans in the higher echelons of the MDC-T.

"It is most unfortunate that the majority of veteran members do not hold any meaningful posts in the party. The lion is now tame and anyone can dare touch it. Even opportunists have found their way into the party with security and intelligence structures lax or not existing at all," said Mangena.

The group accused newcomers like ex MDC-T Bulawayo Chairperson Gorden Moyo- who resigned on Friday citing lack of focus in the party- of forming blocs to vote each other into positions of power at the expense of the veterans.

Asked where VAA was when founding members like former Magwegwe legislator Felix Magalela Mafa were squeezed out of the party through widespread internal rigging in the primary elections during the run-up to last year's harmonised elections, which senior party leaders have since admitted to,  Mangena was evasive.

He said the issue had been resolved amicably and Mafa was no longer bitter.

The group deflected specific questions regarding state of affairs in the party maintaining that individuals would have to answer for themselves.

"We are only here to make our position very clear about our stand in the party visa-vi the so called renewal team. We do not want to be labelled as part of that team. I cannot comment on Gorden's resignation because he is a mafikizolo who is yet to inform us about his decision," said Mangena.

He said it was not true that Moyo had not informed VAA of his decision- choosing to announce it to the rest of the world on Friday- because the veterans' group was an irrelevant arm of the party.