News / Local
Dorcas Sibanda loses MDC-T leadership war
01 Apr 2015 at 07:22hrs | Views
MDC-T Bulawayo Central Member of Parliament Dorcas Sibanda lost the provincial leadership war when the party dismissed her claims that she was the opposition party's acting provincial chairperson.
Sibanda had been involved in a tug-of-war over the post with a faction within the party and at one point declared herself as the "authentic chairperson" against opposition from some provincial members.
"As far as I'm concerned I'm the authentic chairperson of Bulawayo Province. Those who are dismissing that don't have the capacity to say so," she told The Chronicle.
But MDC-T national spokesperson, Obert Gutu dismissed Sibanda's claims. He said Nomvulo Mguni was the acting chairperson of the province.
"The authentic party position is that Nomvulo Mguni is the acting chairperson of Bulawayo Province. That's the official stance of the party. I can't insult any member but that's our position. We need Dorcas and we treat all our members equally," said Gutu.
Deputy spokesperson for Bulawayo province Felix Mafa Sibanda accused the Bulawayo Central MP of fanning divisions in the party.
He said Sibanda had brought MDC- T into "disrepute by moving around claiming to be the acting provincial chairperson" while she was suspended.
"Our chairperson was Gift Banda but because of pending court cases, Nomvulo Mguni was chosen to be acting chairperson. Dorcas is very stubborn and was suspended because she formed parallel structures such as MDC Veterans Activist Association (VAA).
"She is putting the name of the party into disrepute by claiming that she is the authentic acting chairperson," said Mafa Sibanda.
Sibanda is accused of various misdemeanours that include running parallel structures. Bulawayo deputy mayor, Banda, who had been voted as provincial chairperson in a chaos-riddled poll in the run up to MDC-T's 2014 congress, was forced to step down from the position following a High Court judgment necessitated by an application lodged by Matson Hlalo.
Meanwhile, Gutu has said the VAA was not yet an MDC-T affiliate. "The affiliation process hasn't been finalised. That's work in progress. VAA wants to be affiliated to the party," he said.
Sibanda had been involved in a tug-of-war over the post with a faction within the party and at one point declared herself as the "authentic chairperson" against opposition from some provincial members.
"As far as I'm concerned I'm the authentic chairperson of Bulawayo Province. Those who are dismissing that don't have the capacity to say so," she told The Chronicle.
But MDC-T national spokesperson, Obert Gutu dismissed Sibanda's claims. He said Nomvulo Mguni was the acting chairperson of the province.
"The authentic party position is that Nomvulo Mguni is the acting chairperson of Bulawayo Province. That's the official stance of the party. I can't insult any member but that's our position. We need Dorcas and we treat all our members equally," said Gutu.
He said Sibanda had brought MDC- T into "disrepute by moving around claiming to be the acting provincial chairperson" while she was suspended.
"Our chairperson was Gift Banda but because of pending court cases, Nomvulo Mguni was chosen to be acting chairperson. Dorcas is very stubborn and was suspended because she formed parallel structures such as MDC Veterans Activist Association (VAA).
"She is putting the name of the party into disrepute by claiming that she is the authentic acting chairperson," said Mafa Sibanda.
Sibanda is accused of various misdemeanours that include running parallel structures. Bulawayo deputy mayor, Banda, who had been voted as provincial chairperson in a chaos-riddled poll in the run up to MDC-T's 2014 congress, was forced to step down from the position following a High Court judgment necessitated by an application lodged by Matson Hlalo.
Meanwhile, Gutu has said the VAA was not yet an MDC-T affiliate. "The affiliation process hasn't been finalised. That's work in progress. VAA wants to be affiliated to the party," he said.
Source - chronicle
