MDC T the weakest link

The Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC T and its rebellious leadership renewal probing MDC Team last night proved to be the weakest link in Zimbabwean political parties discords at a Bulawayo Agenda public debate held at the Bulawayo press club.

The two factions of the party represented by Abednico Bhebhe for the Tsvangirai T and Samuel Siphepha Nkomo for the Team T, all but exposed the confusion in their party for all to judge. Throughout the evening the two factions appeared to be just bent on opening their dirty linen in public instead of addressing issues that may bring back public confidence in their party.

The two rivals spent the better part of the evening arguing on issues such as their leaders' and their individual immorality issue instead of bringing out the issues that are exactly causing the division in their party. Siphepha Nkomo was publicly called a wife snatcher an accusation which was also thrown back at Bhebhe's leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

The MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube arguable came out of the debate exhibited as the better organized of the political parties on the podium. Party Spokesperson Mr Nhlanhla Dube outlined his party's position in the wake of the squabbles currently faced by political parties far much better than his rivals. Christopher Dube representing ZANU PF spent much of the time trying to force a factor that his party must be credited with liberating the country a point which was quickly crushed by Strike Mkandla of ZAPU who also wanted to show his party as the liberators of the country.

When the floor was open for the public to ask questions, speaker after speaker attacked the two MDC T factions for what most people described as immature, power hungry and undemocratic politics exhibited by the two factions. The Welshman Ncube led MDC maintained its stance of calling for a united front of democrats to team up against ruling ZANU PF come 2018 elections. ZAPU also joined the MDC call for a coalition of democrats to challenge ZANU PF.

The public debate moves to Gwanda on Saturday where the political parties are expected to take their feuds further albeit with different representations. The MDC T will be represented by former Gwanda North Member of Parliament Mr Thandeko Zinti Mkandla who is presumed to be on the Tsvangirai faction while the MDC will be represented by another Gwanda hopeful Mr Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo. ZANU PF and ZAPU have still not confirmed who their representatives will be though speculation is rife that Gwanda Central MP Edison Gumbo has shown kin interest in representing his party ZANU PF. Joining the political parties on the podium will be Mr Albert Nhlizyo who will be representing the civic society.

There are no signs in place of anyone in Gwanda having the guts to come out in open and claim to stand for the leadership renewal in the party. Speculation was also rife that Senator Watchie Sibanda would have opted to stand for the renewal team in the debate but quite certainly fears of violence and victimization might have discouraged the "suspended" or not "suspended" provincial chairman.

The Gwanda Agenda convened debate will be held at the Gwanda Red Cross hall in Jahunda Township Gwanda and is expected to attract as full a crowd as was the Bulawayo debate.