'I don't discuss persons. I discuss issues,' Moyo hits back at Mwonzora

FORMER MDC-T Bulawayo provincial chairperson Gorden Moyo yesterday scoffed at critics who said he had failed to run the main opposition party in the city saying only the people of Bulawayo could comment on his track record.

Moyo announced his resignation as chairperson last Friday citing "violence, hate language, mudslinging and the pursuit of parochial and personal interests" in the opposition party.

MDC-T national spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora described the Makokoba MP as a mafikizolo (Johnny-come-lately).

He claimed Moyo's departure would not affect the party saying it had been functioning well during his absence adding that the former Bulawayo Agenda director was a newcomer who did not understand the party's dynamics.

MDC-T national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa also had no kind words for Moyo.

However, Moyo yesterday said he was proud of having presided over a Bulawayo province that won all seats in last year's July 31 parliamentary elections.

"I do not engage in mudslinging matches in the media. I do not discuss persons. I discuss issues," he said.

"They are free to hurl all sorts of insults. I do not care.

"The people of Bulawayo know my performance and I do not need to be judged by Chamisa and Mwonzora.

"The world knows that it is (MDC-T) Bulawayo only that won all seats in the last elections.

"If some people cannot see that, then it is not my problem."

There have been reports that MDC-T officials from Moyo's Makokoba constituency were baying for his blood demanding that he give up his parliamentary seat as well.

However, Moyo has defiant saying the MDC-T structures had no capacity to recall him from the National Assembly because they constituted a minority of people who voted for him in last year's elections.

Meanwhile, MDC-T Bulawayo provincial organising secretary Albert Mhlanga has dismissed reports linking him to the MDC-T renewal team saying he was "deeply rooted" in the original MDC and fully backed the leadership of party leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mhlanga, who is also the Pumula MP, was reportedly on the verge of crossing the floor to the renewal team.

But Mhlanga yesterday told Southern Eye that he was going nowhere.

"I was there when the party was formed and am not going anywhere. I consider myself a veteran. People should know that I am fully behind Tsvangirai," he said.

Mhlanga said he had held discussions with Gorden Moyo who quit last week.

"We have always been in touch with Moyo. When he held his press briefing I was out of the country (in Zambia) and I have since contacted him.

"I will give my response in full in the coming days," he said.

Mhlanga caused a stir last week when he revealed that several Bulawayo provincial party primary elections were rigged and conducted outreach meetings to apologise to party members for being an ally of party vice-president Thokozani Khupe.

He said primary elections in Entumbane, Magwegwe, Luveve and Pelandaba-Mpopoma constituencies were rigged with the blessing of top party officials and the provincial executive.

The MDC-T Bulawayo province was thrown into chaos over alleged rigging in the holding of the primaries to choose the party's candidates in last year's elections.

MDC-T renewal team was formed by several senior party members led by secretary-general Tendai Biti, Elton Mangoma and Samuel Sipepa Nkomo who have been calling for Tsvangirai to step down.