Matibenga ditches Tsvangirai, joins Biti

Former MDC-T Women's Assembly boss and Kuwadzana lawmaker Lucia Matibenga has joined the faction of the party calling for former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's removal.

Matibenga attended the MDC-T provincial consultative meeting for Midlands South at the weekend where ‘fired' party deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma, also attended. Matibenga served as Public Service minister in the coalition government before the harmonised elections last year won by President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF with a two thirds majority.

Mangoma who is one of the leading lights in the group now called the MDC renewal team, revealed in an interview with The Zimbabwe Mail on the side-lines of the meeting that the camp was preparing for congress.

"We are still part of the MDC until we hold our congress next March. We are currently laying the groundwork for that. By then we will have a new name because the current one has been soiled by Morgan Tsvangirai with his immoral practices, making the name no longer befit to the nations," the former Energy Minister said.

Mangoma described the renewal team project as "growing".

"Our membership is growing and we are getting stronger with each passing day. You have seen for yourself Honourable Matibenga was here with us," said Mangoma.

The meeting was also attended by former MDC-T MP for Gweru Urban Rodrick Rutsvara, expelled councillors from the Midlands capital and ex-Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce president Trust Chikohora.

The opposition party is stuck in the throes of an acrimonious leadership wrangle triggered by its humiliating poll loss last year.

Matters came to a head early this year after Mangoma wrote two letters calling on Tsvangirai to resign and allow for an elective congress. The former premier obstinately refused and instead turned to the party's grassroots structures for support.

One such meeting turned ugly following a violent assault on Mangoma and other leaders before he was suspended.

In response, secretary-general Tendai Biti convened a national council meeting in April that also suspended Tsvangirai and six other top leaders. Tsvangirai laughed off the suspension and expelled Biti from the party instead.