Key MDC T official dumps Tsvangirai

MDC T Manicaland Province Treasurer Brian James has immediately resigned from the Morgan Tsvangirai led troubled party.

In a letter written to Tsvangirai over the weekend James announced his immediate resignation from the party stating that the party's diversion from the founding values of the MDC was his main reason for quitting the party.

"My reasons for this resignation are many and varied but suffice it to include my dismay at conduct carried out by members in Manicaland, with support in the National Standing Committee, that are contrary to the Party's founding principles," writes James in his resignation letter.

James says his resignation comes following a letter that was written to him by party (Acting) Secretary General Tapiwa Mashakada which was un ceremonially handed to him while in court as a complainant against three members of the party loyal to Morgan Tsvangirai in the on going wrangles in the opposition party.

James is the complainant on behalf of the party against Misheck Kagurabadza (70), a former Mutare mayor and Mutasa South MP, who is jointly charged with Knowledge Nyamhoka (42) and Allan Mukodzani (34) on charges of unlawful entry and theft after the trio broke into the party offices in Mutare to "recover" some property which was in the custody of those they presumed to be against Tsvangirai.

In his resignation letter James, who is also former Mayor of Mutare and once a very close ally of Morgan Tsvangirai , accuses party leadership of condoning lawlessness in the party which has made it difficult for him to work in the party.

"It has become increasingly difficult for me to defend the Party in private and public forums while witnessing violence, corruption and criminal activity and the inaction of the National Leadership of containing this activity," says the letter.

The MDC T is currently surviving in two factions one led by (suspended or not suspended) Secretary General Tendai Biti which is calling for the retirement of Tsvangirai and another for the retention of Tsvangirai presidency. The pro Tsvangirai faction has resultantly come up with militia of youth members who are applying violence and intimidation against those calling for change of party presidency. Several senior party leaders and members have fallen victims to the militia with the party not bringing anyone for disciplinary action. At the formation of the MDC in 1999, one of the party's key values was to desist from violence, theft and corruption which were perceived to be symptoms of ZANU PF which the party sort to replace in governance. James takes swipe at the party leadership accusing them of turning the party into the very same behaviour they sort to fight against in ZANU PF.

"I have given ten years of my time to further the founding principles of the Movement for Democratic Change and have witnessed the sacrifices of so many loyal supporters over these years only to see their efforts betrayed by careless and unnecessary actions of some members who seem to find it difficult to distance themselves from and engage in the most heinous crimes that are more associated with the very people that we were hoping to dislodge in the political arena here in Zimbabwe!"

James and Tsvangirai have for a long time been very close and rumours in the party were for sometime circulating that Tsvangaria was planning to make James party Treasurer General in place of (self) exiled Roy Bennet. Their relations soured before last year's general elections when James was part of a group that was advising Tsvangirai not to participate in the elections without reforms. Tsvangirai confident of victory refused to take the advise accusing those calling for the boycott of being against him being head of state.

When the leadership renewal call emerged James dumped Tsvangirai to join the side calling for his retirement. Surprisingly, Tsvangirai kept addressing rallies claiming that James was on his side in a direct bid to keep sympathy of the volatile Manicaland Province.

James' resignation is all but the final nail in Tsvangirai's loss of control of Manicaland province as James commands a huge support base in the eastern province