MDC Renewal gathers momentum in Gwanda

The Tendai Biti initiated MDC Renewal Team is slowly trying to make in roads into the politically unpredictable Matabeleland South capital Gwanda.

The Orange Movement as the formation is popularly known is on a serious membership drive in the populace of the town. The recruitment and mobilisation drive is led by former Welshman Ncube led Youth Provincial Treasurer Wellington Nare who recently defected to the Biti led formation.

According to Nare, the movement is gaining a lot of ground particularly from disgruntled members of the Welshman Ncube led formation which according to him continues to let down its members by its silence hence their desire to settle for a new home in the MDC Renewal formation. Nare claims without disclosing names that a number of people from both the Tsvangirai and Ncube led formations are joining the Renewal Team because of the new hope that they see in the renewal project.

"A number of people some of them high profile figures from the other MDC formations are finding their way to the renewal team because they see that the Renewal Team is giving them a new hope. They are very disappointed by the two MDCs who failed to meet their aspirations and see those in the plans of the Renewal," he said.

Nare who in the last year has moved from the Welshman Ncube formation to the Tsvangirai one and back to the Ncube one before eventually opting for the Renewal Team has always been an open critic of the two MDC formations for what he called undemocratic principles and lack of ideology. In his previous statements he has never had kind words for Ncube the MDC President, his Secretary General Priscillia Misihairabwi Mushonga and Treasurer General Paul Temba Nyathi who he accuses of destroying the Green MDC which he say he grew up in loved.

Asked what his political idea is in the wake of him moving between opposition political parties willy nilly, Nare said that he was specifically disappointed by the Ncube led formation for not standing for what it preached by failing the Matabeleland region as they went out to look for representation for the province from people in Harare ignoring local representation.

The youthful politician says that he believes that the Renewal Team will allow for an equal recognition and development of Matabeleland as a part of the country. Nare says he believes that only the people of Matabeleland know the issues that worry Matabeleland and only them if given a chance can stand up and build the province.

"We must take charge and take the government to account for the under development of our region. This we can only do by providing a single united body formed by members from all parties, churches, traditional cultures and regional civic society which is the policy of the Renewal Team and I buy into that," he said.

However, other opposition political forces in the town have dismissed the MDC Renewal growth in the town claiming that the formation has not been able to recruit anyone of note other than the visibility of Nare who they see running around. Unconfirmed information from sources within the town also indicate that another former MDC Ncube heavy weight and seasoned politician Petros Mukwena is also working with the Renewal Team. Mukwena is the former Matabeleland South Province Chairman of the MDC and was dismissed from the party after questioning why the party was second Misihairabwi Mushonga to stand in UMzingwane Constitutency while her membership was in Harare.