MDC MPs incompetent, disloyal: Prof Ncube

Sunday News reports that Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Professor Welshman Ncube has described some House of Assembly Members from his party as incompetent and disloyal, something he said has resulted in them not getting cabinet and party positions.

He said Cabinet positions in his party were given solely on grounds of competence and loyalty, adding that election losers were competent and more loyal than some winning MPs.

The gruelling revelation comes amid widening apertures and growing discontent among some of his legislators who feel their leader doesn't appreciate their role, which they said, "was the major reason he was in the inclusive Government".

Four out of seven MDC House of Assembly Members are said to be going to bed with MDC-T while paying lip service to Prof Ncube, something that is likely going to see MDC's political fortunes in a major nosedive that could spell its demise.

Prof Ncube, however, played down the issue saying they were free to defect and allow the law to take its course.

"With the exception of Kembo Dube and Mkhosi the other three went to Botswana with Ian Makone and Lovemore Moyo where they were bribed to vote for Moyo at the expense of our own candidate. We are therefore not surprised by the other three ' Thandeka Zindi, Nomalanga Khumalo and Maxwell Dube. They were part of the three fired MPs.

"As for Maxwell Dube he appeared before the disciplinary hearing and was found guilty and cautioned. We gave them time with the hope that they will reform," he said.

It emerged that the four wanted the leadership to reward them for winning elections by appointing them Cabinet ministers and give them influential party positions.

Instead, they said, the losing leadership decided to appoint losers and continued their losing romance at the expense of winning legislators.

"We are going to come out soon about our political affiliation. We are very much aware that the law was crafted in such a way that it has no mercy on defectors. We do not want to face the same music that Bhebhe (Abednigo), Mpofu (Norman) and Mguni (Njabulo) faced. We are therefore waiting for the opportune time to do so.

"Our leadership is a leadership of losers who want to associate with other losers in the party which explains why they awarded each other Cabinet and party positions. We are no longer attending party rallies and that action I think is enough to tell an educated man like Prof Ncube that we are no longer together," said one MP who declined to be named for fear of victimisation.

Expelled MP for Bulilima East Mr Norman Mpofu said they were working closely with the other four MPs before and after their expulsion who he said had long joined MDC-T.

He said the major source of disgruntlement was the continued wining and dining of the party leadership with the losers at the expense of the winners who were looked down at with scorn.

He said three MPs were in their group and voted for Mr Lovemore Moyo as Speaker of the House of Assembly discarding to the dustbins of political history party preferred candidate Mr Paul Themba Nyathi.

He said the party could only remain with Mr Moses Mzila Ndlovu, Mr Siyabonga Malandu Ncube and Mr Patrick Dube.

"MDC is living on borrowed, ropes and it's only a matter of time before it crumbles. With the exception of Mkhosi (Edward) we caucused and sold Ncube a damn. He lost the loyalty of other MPs after he failed to appreciate them. He runs the party as his private entity. I used to have a lot of respect and admiration for that man but all that vanished after I realised that he was trying to stifle democracy in the party.

"He associates more with the losers leaving the winners in the open but I would advise him not to put the MPs on the firing line, he should just for once put people interests ahead of his party and his lo friends' interests," said Mr Mpofu.

He said even the late co-founder of party Mr Gibson Sibanda was part of group that wanted to rejoin the bigger MDC.

Party Chief Whip Mr Mkhosi who is for Mangwe, however, distanced him from the group of four saying he still has his loyalty to Prof Ncube.

He confirmed receiving reports that some MP were no longer attending party rallies and programmes but said it was difficult know what people think.

"It's obvious that they are doing it clandestinely. I am told though that there are some MPs who are no longer attending party gatherings but it's difficult at this stage to conclude that they have defected. I have been busy with COPAC business that I am little in touch with developments within the party. What I can confirm is that there are fewer meetings with the party leadership than we used to have during the time when the expelled trio were still with us," said Mr Mkhosi.
When pressed to give his side, he said nothing has changed in the MDC-T that he could fall in love with it now when he did not join them when they split.