MDC-T rebels rule out unity with Tsvangirai

Elton Mangoma and a team of his loyalists yesterday ruled out any unity with MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, highlighting intensified strategies to dethrone him.

Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, suspended MDC deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma's spokesperson Jacob Mafume, who was introduced as the "MDC renewal team spokesperson," said the purported unity between the rebels and Tsvangirai was a farce.

"You cannot unite with yourself (Tsvangirai). You cannot say I am uniting when you don't call the aggrieved party."

"In that instance, when the so-called unity was announced, the person who was on suspension was the treasurer-general and at that point they mentioned that he remains on suspension and the issue he was suspended for was writing a letter to discuss about leadership issues."

Two weeks ago, Tsvangirai said he had healed the rift between himself and rebels pushing for his ouster.

Mafume, who was flanked by MDC youth assembly secretary general Promise Mkwananzi, alleged Tsvangirai had personalised the democratic struggle and was acting as if he owned the MDC.

"When you are elected to a post, you are not given title deeds and that is where we have always complained," Mafume said.

"When you are elected to be a president of a country, you are not given title deeds, same as a political party. What happens is that you are given responsibility that you are supposed to carry out. When that responsibility is questioned, you don't behave like someone is taking your personal property."

Asked whether MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti is part of the renewal team, Mafume said the former finance minister has said the party needs to go back to the founding values.

However, he said Mangoma was fully behind the renewal team.