MDC-T's Tamborinyoka attacks Obert Gutu

Drama continued to unfold in the MDC-T yesterday, with Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, making a thinly-veiled attack on party spokesman, Obert Gutu, and other party organs, which issued statements demanding that the former Premier should not to step down ahead of the 2018 general elections.

Tsvangirai issued a statement on Monday, hinting on his retirement on health grounds, leaving the reins to a younger generation.

The statement was immediately interpreted to mean he was leaving power to long-time ally and one of his three deputies, Nelson Chamisa.

The MDC-T leader left for South Africa on Tuesday for a routine check-up, four days after President Emmerson Mnangagwa paid him a visit at his Highlands home.

Gutu along with the party's women and youth assemblies have insisted Tsvangirai would stay put as their leader and presidential candidate.

But Tamborinyoka yesterday took to Facebook and issued a thinly-veiled attack on Gutu and other party organs, saying Tsvangirai speaks for himself.

"President Tsvangirai speaks for himself, as he did through his statement on Monday or through his official spokesperson, as happened after he met President Mnangagwa last Friday," he posted on Facebook.

"Any other channel parroting a purported MT (Tsvangirai) position is the black market. And the black market is not only unofficial, but illegal."

The MDC-T is ravaged by factionalism, as the race to succeed Tsvangirai, who is battling colon cancer, hots up. One faction is reportedly backing Chamisa, while the other has lined up behind Elias Mudzuri, who is one of Tsvangirai's deputies alongside Thokozani Khupe.