News / National
'Tsvangirai's MDC-T will not beg tired members'
17 Mar 2014 at 08:48hrs | Views
MDC-T national chairman Lovemore Moyo has said the party would not waste time begging "rebels" seeking leadership renewal to remain in the party, claiming that they were being used by Zanu-PF to destabilise the opposition party.
Moyo, who is also in charge of the party's disciplinary committee, said MDC-T was a voluntary movement and disgruntled members were free to leave.
Addressing party supporters on Saturday during a feedback rally at Stanley Square, in Bulawayo, in reference to suspended deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma and underfire secretary-general Tendai Biti, Moyo said "there are members who are now tired of the struggle".
Mangoma has since been suspended after openly telling party leader Morgan Tsvangirai to step down.
Biti, who has been receiving a barrage of criticism - including being labelled a traitor - by supporters loyal to Tsvangirai for admitting on national TV that the "MDC-T lost clean to Zanu-PF in the past elections", has been snubbing rallies addressed by his boss.
He was absent on Saturday fuelling speculation that he is on his way out of the labour-backed party.
"This party is still alive, this party is strong and no one will destroy it," Moyo said.
"Some of us won't leave the party and infighting is not unusual in the movement and in the struggle, especially when it has taken too long to achieve its goal.
"Some of our members are now tired and are now calling for leadership renewal.
"We won't waste time begging them to remain in the party. MDC-T is a voluntary organisation and you are free to go and we won't force you to stay."
Moyo warned party members that some people would attempt to bribe remaining supporters to rebel, saying money was the root of all evil.
Moyo's remarks come amid reports that Tsvangirai and Biti met last Tuesday to iron out their differences. Biti recently incurred the wrath of Tsvangirai's supporters when he described Mangoma's suspension as a legal nullity.
All the three rallies that were addressed by Tsvangirai in Harare recently and Bulawayo were snubbed by Biti.
As fissures continue to widen, Mangoma joined other top party leaders like national treasurer Roy Bennett and standing committee members Iain Kay, Eddie Cross and Elias Mudzuri, who have called on Tsvangirai to step down after losing three consecutive elections to President Robert Mugabe amid accusations of vote-rigging.
Mangoma wrote a four-page letter urging Tsvangirai to resign and allow fresh blood to take over ahead of the 2018 elections.
His letter torched a storm with some party officials declaring their allegiance to Tsvangirai while others insisted a new leader was needed to break the jinx of perennially playing opposition politics.
Since Mangoma's letter, the MDC-T has been rocked by intra-party violence. Biti's house was last month petrol-bombed by unknown assailants.
Moyo, who is also in charge of the party's disciplinary committee, said MDC-T was a voluntary movement and disgruntled members were free to leave.
Addressing party supporters on Saturday during a feedback rally at Stanley Square, in Bulawayo, in reference to suspended deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma and underfire secretary-general Tendai Biti, Moyo said "there are members who are now tired of the struggle".
Mangoma has since been suspended after openly telling party leader Morgan Tsvangirai to step down.
Biti, who has been receiving a barrage of criticism - including being labelled a traitor - by supporters loyal to Tsvangirai for admitting on national TV that the "MDC-T lost clean to Zanu-PF in the past elections", has been snubbing rallies addressed by his boss.
He was absent on Saturday fuelling speculation that he is on his way out of the labour-backed party.
"This party is still alive, this party is strong and no one will destroy it," Moyo said.
"Some of us won't leave the party and infighting is not unusual in the movement and in the struggle, especially when it has taken too long to achieve its goal.
"We won't waste time begging them to remain in the party. MDC-T is a voluntary organisation and you are free to go and we won't force you to stay."
Moyo warned party members that some people would attempt to bribe remaining supporters to rebel, saying money was the root of all evil.
Moyo's remarks come amid reports that Tsvangirai and Biti met last Tuesday to iron out their differences. Biti recently incurred the wrath of Tsvangirai's supporters when he described Mangoma's suspension as a legal nullity.
All the three rallies that were addressed by Tsvangirai in Harare recently and Bulawayo were snubbed by Biti.
As fissures continue to widen, Mangoma joined other top party leaders like national treasurer Roy Bennett and standing committee members Iain Kay, Eddie Cross and Elias Mudzuri, who have called on Tsvangirai to step down after losing three consecutive elections to President Robert Mugabe amid accusations of vote-rigging.
Mangoma wrote a four-page letter urging Tsvangirai to resign and allow fresh blood to take over ahead of the 2018 elections.
His letter torched a storm with some party officials declaring their allegiance to Tsvangirai while others insisted a new leader was needed to break the jinx of perennially playing opposition politics.
Since Mangoma's letter, the MDC-T has been rocked by intra-party violence. Biti's house was last month petrol-bombed by unknown assailants.
Source - newsday
