MDC-T Joburg District endorses Tsvangirai and Khupe

Press release 24 July 2014

Johannesburg district has started with its branch congresses that will culminate in a national congress in October this year, whereby MDC rank and file will renew the party and give leadership a new fresh mandate.

Our people on the ground are clear on Save and his deputy, Amai Khupe (umama wethu). In these two we have tried and tested leaders, who have saved the party exceptionally well in the last 14yrs of our glorious movement.

We would like to warn against the ZANUFICATION of our movement (by introducing positions that have no relevance or meaningfully input in improving our movement and our people).

We have noted with concern the issue of two vice presidents that was first mooted by the renewal crowd and that is now finding prominence in the media as if it's the party position.

As MDC, we do not see any need for the second Vice President, as this has the potential to create acrimony and confusion.

The duties of the Vice President are clearly expressed in our constitution and we are happy with the manner and professionalism the incumbent has displayed. We must guard against foreign tendencies that will only undermine and discredit our struggle.

ZANU has two Vice Presidents because they just use their "leaders" from Matabeleland for window-dressing, when in reality, none of the so called Vice Presidents from Matabeleland will ever be given space and respect to lead.

One wonders how evils such as grade one kids, from rural Matabeleland are taught by people who cannot speak their mother tongue, go unabated when the ruling party's Vice President is from the region.

Civil servants and parastatal jobs in Matabeleland are the preserve of some special tribe from ZANU PF. A case in point is when ZESA BYO goes as far as outside Matabeleland to get people to dig ridges in a city that has over 90% unemployment.

The second Vice President in ZANU is to keep the oppressed and marginalised in check. Given the above, the issue of ZANU's second Vice President has been a sophisticated instrument of oppression, tribalism and social injustice with the exception of the late Dr JM Nkomo. The issue has patriarchy undertones also.

There are some amongst us who do not recognise that we are not living in the Stone Age anymore; we are now in the 21stcentury and we judge a person by the content of their character not gender, colour or tribe.

Before we as MDC the true leader of society joins the band wagon of the second Vice President, we must ask ourselves the following questions do we really need a second Vice President? To fulfil whose agenda? Instead of pushing for the second Vice President, we must be seized with how we will help the people of Zimbabwe break from the sharp jaws of the dictatorship and help the marginalised, oppressed and persecuted realise a free and prosperous Zimbabwe which is only possible under an MDC government.

However if the issue is so important to some amongst us, we might be willing to entertain the idea of a deputy to the Vice President not the second Vice President.