News / National
Tsvangirai dumped again
28 Sep 2015 at 06:51hrs | Views
MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been dumped by his United States
based chief political strategist Maxwell Zeb Shumba who has formed his
political party - Zimbabwe First (ZimFirst), NewsDay reported.
Shumba was appointed as strategist in May last year after his former adviser Alex Magaisa had returned to his United Kingdom base.
Shumba (52) was among nine other technocrats appointed to advise Tsvangirai to reorganise the party after his crushing third defeat by Zanu PF's President Robert Mugabe in the 2013 harmonised elections.
ZimFirst was officially launched on Saturday in Murehwa.
Shumba claimed he had dumped the MDC-T because its leadership was driven by "greed" and "dishonesty".
"As one of the founder members of the MDC and one of Tsvangirai's chief strategists, I felt that the movement had lost the vision through greediness," said Shumba.
"Everyone in MDC is engaged in dishonesty. For example, while in the US I would secure air tickets for $1 800 for them to travel there, but some of the members would demand first class tickets that cost $11 000, some would even refuse to fly, and what does that portray for a movement that purports to represent the poor people?" Shumba asked.
MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu dismissed Shumba as a "nonentity" and described as "hogwash" claims that the party leadership was greedy.
Meanwhile, at the weekend, ZimFirst officials claimed that People First, led by Joice Mujuru stole its name.
Mark Makovore, spokesperson of Zimbabwe First claimed his party started operating mid-way last year.
"We will not bog ourselves down fighting over names and titles as there are more important and pressing issues to deal with, but the truth is that People First is our original name and was stolen from us".
Shumba was appointed as strategist in May last year after his former adviser Alex Magaisa had returned to his United Kingdom base.
Shumba (52) was among nine other technocrats appointed to advise Tsvangirai to reorganise the party after his crushing third defeat by Zanu PF's President Robert Mugabe in the 2013 harmonised elections.
ZimFirst was officially launched on Saturday in Murehwa.
Shumba claimed he had dumped the MDC-T because its leadership was driven by "greed" and "dishonesty".
"As one of the founder members of the MDC and one of Tsvangirai's chief strategists, I felt that the movement had lost the vision through greediness," said Shumba.
"Everyone in MDC is engaged in dishonesty. For example, while in the US I would secure air tickets for $1 800 for them to travel there, but some of the members would demand first class tickets that cost $11 000, some would even refuse to fly, and what does that portray for a movement that purports to represent the poor people?" Shumba asked.
MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu dismissed Shumba as a "nonentity" and described as "hogwash" claims that the party leadership was greedy.
Meanwhile, at the weekend, ZimFirst officials claimed that People First, led by Joice Mujuru stole its name.
Mark Makovore, spokesperson of Zimbabwe First claimed his party started operating mid-way last year.
"We will not bog ourselves down fighting over names and titles as there are more important and pressing issues to deal with, but the truth is that People First is our original name and was stolen from us".
Source - newsday
