News / National
MDC-T chairperson quits politics
02 Feb 2018 at 06:20hrs | Views
MDC-T chairperson Lovemore Moyo is quitting active politics at a time the mainstream opposition is imploding due to differences over party leader Morgan Tsvangirai's unresolved succession amid growing discontent over a proposed coalition ahead of the 2018 general elections.
Moyo, vice-president Thokhozani Khupe and national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe have not attended MDC-T meetings since July last year in protest over the peripheral roles given to politicians from Matabeleland.
Some party officials from the region are not happy with Tsvangirai's unilateral decision in 2016 to appoint Elias Mudzuri and Nelson Chamisa as deputy presidents. They joined Khupe, who was elected at the party's 2014 congress, but many felt the move was meant to dilute her influence and nudge her out of the succession race.
They are also protesting Tsvangirai's failure to address concerns raised by the people of Matabeleland over the MDC Alliance.
In a bombshell that could rattle opposition politics, Moyo told the Zimbabwe Independent he would not take part in parliamentary elections this year.
He said he would also relinquish his post as MDC-T national chairperson at the party's congress in 2019, although he insisted his decision had nothing to do with the goings-on in the party. The former Speaker of Parliament and Matobo North legislator said he had been quiet all along as a "matter of procedure and principle", but admitted that all was not well in the opposition party.
"I am not contesting for the post of MP in the forthcoming harmonised elections. I feel I have adequately served the people of Matobo for the past 15 years and now it's time to open up the constituency to other party cadres to contest," Moyo said.
Moyo, vice-president Thokhozani Khupe and national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe have not attended MDC-T meetings since July last year in protest over the peripheral roles given to politicians from Matabeleland.
Some party officials from the region are not happy with Tsvangirai's unilateral decision in 2016 to appoint Elias Mudzuri and Nelson Chamisa as deputy presidents. They joined Khupe, who was elected at the party's 2014 congress, but many felt the move was meant to dilute her influence and nudge her out of the succession race.
They are also protesting Tsvangirai's failure to address concerns raised by the people of Matabeleland over the MDC Alliance.
In a bombshell that could rattle opposition politics, Moyo told the Zimbabwe Independent he would not take part in parliamentary elections this year.
He said he would also relinquish his post as MDC-T national chairperson at the party's congress in 2019, although he insisted his decision had nothing to do with the goings-on in the party. The former Speaker of Parliament and Matobo North legislator said he had been quiet all along as a "matter of procedure and principle", but admitted that all was not well in the opposition party.
"I am not contesting for the post of MP in the forthcoming harmonised elections. I feel I have adequately served the people of Matobo for the past 15 years and now it's time to open up the constituency to other party cadres to contest," Moyo said.
Source - Zim Ind
