News / National
'Biti move kindergarten'
29 Apr 2014 at 11:26hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has described the move by MDC-T secretary general Tendai Biti to convene a national council meeting that suspended party leader Morgan Tsvangirai and other senior party officials as "play-ground stuff".
In an interview, ZCTU secretary general Japhet Moyo said while everyone has freedom of expression, the labour body from which the MDC was born in 1999 viewed Biti's suspension of Tsvangirai and other top party leaders as a fuss.
Biti, as secretary general, at the weekend convened a meeting of the party's 'national council' that resolved to suspend Tsvangirai, his deputy Thokozani Khupe, national chairperson Lovemore Moyo, his deputy Morgan Komichi, organising secretary Nelson Chamisa, his deputy Abedinico Bhebhe and party spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora, for among other misdemeanors, breach of the party constitution and fanning violence.
Moyo said members of the MDC-T would choose the leader they want at the next congress.
"Somebody cannot just wake up one early morning, sit under a tree or in a hotel and say we have decided to suspend the party leadership . . . that is unacceptable. We even do not know whether Biti and his allies are a pressure group or a political party . . . ndomahumbwe arikutiwa nanaBiti (that's kindergarten)," said Moyo.
Moyo was, however, quick to distance the labour body from being pro-Tsvangirai, adding that the ZCTU had "permanent interests and not permanent friends".
"People might say that we are always in support of Tsvangirai, but the truth is that we have a philosophy of having permanent interests and not permanent friends.
"We are supportive of anyone who believes in pursuing workers' interests and if Biti and his group have that belief, then we will be behind them," he said.
"In 2005 when the then secretary general Welshman Ncube led a breakaway from the mainstream MDC over participation in senatorial elections, we were supportive of Tsvangirai's stance of saying no to senatorial elections, but that does not mean to say we are pro-Tsvangirai."
The ZCTU boss also said the acrimony in the MDC- T was normal in any democratic institution.
"What the MDC-T is going through is normal, a lot of political parties around the world have gone through the same process.
"While anyone like Biti have the right to air their views, the ZCTU is of the opinion that things must be done in a proper manner and let the will of the people prevail.
"It is our policy not to intervene in internal matters within the MDC T and if the party splits, we will closely scrutinise who we want to work with as long that group pursues workers' agenda," he said.
Last week, the ZCTU said it would intervene in the MDC-T leadership fight "if ever they get ugly".
In an interview, ZCTU secretary general Japhet Moyo said while everyone has freedom of expression, the labour body from which the MDC was born in 1999 viewed Biti's suspension of Tsvangirai and other top party leaders as a fuss.
Biti, as secretary general, at the weekend convened a meeting of the party's 'national council' that resolved to suspend Tsvangirai, his deputy Thokozani Khupe, national chairperson Lovemore Moyo, his deputy Morgan Komichi, organising secretary Nelson Chamisa, his deputy Abedinico Bhebhe and party spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora, for among other misdemeanors, breach of the party constitution and fanning violence.
Moyo said members of the MDC-T would choose the leader they want at the next congress.
"Somebody cannot just wake up one early morning, sit under a tree or in a hotel and say we have decided to suspend the party leadership . . . that is unacceptable. We even do not know whether Biti and his allies are a pressure group or a political party . . . ndomahumbwe arikutiwa nanaBiti (that's kindergarten)," said Moyo.
Moyo was, however, quick to distance the labour body from being pro-Tsvangirai, adding that the ZCTU had "permanent interests and not permanent friends".
"People might say that we are always in support of Tsvangirai, but the truth is that we have a philosophy of having permanent interests and not permanent friends.
"We are supportive of anyone who believes in pursuing workers' interests and if Biti and his group have that belief, then we will be behind them," he said.
"In 2005 when the then secretary general Welshman Ncube led a breakaway from the mainstream MDC over participation in senatorial elections, we were supportive of Tsvangirai's stance of saying no to senatorial elections, but that does not mean to say we are pro-Tsvangirai."
The ZCTU boss also said the acrimony in the MDC- T was normal in any democratic institution.
"What the MDC-T is going through is normal, a lot of political parties around the world have gone through the same process.
"While anyone like Biti have the right to air their views, the ZCTU is of the opinion that things must be done in a proper manner and let the will of the people prevail.
"It is our policy not to intervene in internal matters within the MDC T and if the party splits, we will closely scrutinise who we want to work with as long that group pursues workers' agenda," he said.
Last week, the ZCTU said it would intervene in the MDC-T leadership fight "if ever they get ugly".
Source - Zim Mail
