News / National
Tsvangirai to investigate intra-party violence
21 Feb 2014 at 05:57hrs | Views
THE MDC-T has not yet appointed a team to investigate the intra-party violence that occurred at Harvest House headquarters last Saturday where three top officials were assaulted by youths who accused them of pushing for party leader Morgan Tsvangirai's ouster.
Deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma, youth secretary-general Prosper Mkwananzi and secretary-general Tendai Biti were roughed up allegedly under Tsvangirai's nose.
The MDC-T leader later condemned the attacks and pledged to investigate and bring the culprits to book although Mangoma has claimed that Tsvangirai was behind the violence.
Party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora yesterday confirmed that the probe was yet to take off the ground nearly a week later.
"We have not set up the probe team. The standing committee has still to meet and decide on the team. However, the organising department is gathering information regarding the cause and people behind the violence," Mwonzora said.
The animosity between Mangoma and Tsvangirai was ignited by a confidential letter he wrote exhorting the MDC-T leader to resign to pave way for leadership renewal before the 2018 general elections.
But Tsvangirai, who has lost the presidential race to President Robert Mugabe thrice in a row believes he still remains the undisputed candidate for the opposition party, insiders have said.
The delay in investigating the latest incident have reignited fears that the party leadership wanted the matter swept under the carpet in a similar fashion like the findings of the Trust Maanda Commission Report on the intra-party violence during the MDC-T's 2011 Bulawayo congress.
The report, released in 2012 named national executive members among them deputy president Thokozani Khupe, Gorden Moyo and Matson Hlalo of fanning violence, but the trio was not brought before a disciplinary hearing.
Mwonzora yesterday accused Biti of delaying the implementation of recommendations of the Maanda Report.
"The secretary-general (Biti) should have laid the charges to enable the national chairman to initiate the hearing procedures," he said.
Deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma, youth secretary-general Prosper Mkwananzi and secretary-general Tendai Biti were roughed up allegedly under Tsvangirai's nose.
The MDC-T leader later condemned the attacks and pledged to investigate and bring the culprits to book although Mangoma has claimed that Tsvangirai was behind the violence.
Party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora yesterday confirmed that the probe was yet to take off the ground nearly a week later.
"We have not set up the probe team. The standing committee has still to meet and decide on the team. However, the organising department is gathering information regarding the cause and people behind the violence," Mwonzora said.
But Tsvangirai, who has lost the presidential race to President Robert Mugabe thrice in a row believes he still remains the undisputed candidate for the opposition party, insiders have said.
The delay in investigating the latest incident have reignited fears that the party leadership wanted the matter swept under the carpet in a similar fashion like the findings of the Trust Maanda Commission Report on the intra-party violence during the MDC-T's 2011 Bulawayo congress.
The report, released in 2012 named national executive members among them deputy president Thokozani Khupe, Gorden Moyo and Matson Hlalo of fanning violence, but the trio was not brought before a disciplinary hearing.
Mwonzora yesterday accused Biti of delaying the implementation of recommendations of the Maanda Report.
"The secretary-general (Biti) should have laid the charges to enable the national chairman to initiate the hearing procedures," he said.
Source - newsday
