Gorden Moyo's Resignation Decision: Legal and political Implications

Mr Gorden Moyo went on a Sabbatical at the moment when Mr Elton Mongama's letter was torching the bushes to ashes, raising suspicions that he was aligned to the so called MDC Renewal Team which is headed by Mr Tendai Biti, the expelled MDC Secretary General. Mr Moyo kept people guessing as to his next move. His study holiday came and passed but he did not return to work fuelling more suspicions of his allegiance.

On the 13th June 2014, he dropped a fully loaded bomb, with so much paradoxes, he reported that he was resigning as the MDCT Provincial Chairperson, surprise, surprise, albeit not from the Party. "On this day, the 13th of June 2014, I, Gorden Moyo, am stepping down from the office of the chair of Bulawayo province with immediate effect," Moyo said in his resignation letter. This is an interesting area which we shall return to for proper analysis, in the meantime, let us interrogate other interesting aspects of his resignation,  Mr Moyo deplored the state of paralysis in the MDC due to the violence and undemocratic acts which have bedevilled the party. Doesn't this sound familiar to you?

He went on to address his letter to both factions, the MDCT and the MDC Renewal Team, another very interesting and intriguing move. Why would he resign from a Party he never belonged to? This may be instructive as to his intentions; by resigning his Chairmanship from the MDC Renewal Team it means that he recognises the Renewal Team. If he was not part of or part to the Renewal Team's attempts there would have been no need for Mr Moyo sending his resignation letter to them. In essence what it may mean is that Mr Moyo no longer recognises the MDCT led by Mr Tsvangirayi.
Some speculations are that Mr Moyo has seen the light and that he now does not recognise neither the MDC Renewal Team nor the MDC T, his move is predicated on the assumption that there would be a form of Coalition of many different political formations and he wants to be his own man by crafting his on organisation which will enter into this Coalition with clear objects which put the Matabeleland Question at the heart of the Zimbabwean political processes. This view is informed by Mr Moyo's association with a number of Civic organisations with roots and focus on Matebeleland region's issues.

The legal battle ahead.

Mr Moyo has carefully considered his move, by resigning from his position as the Chairperson but categorically stating that he was remaining a member of the Party, raises legal complexities.  In essence by addresses his resignation letter to both factions, he has indicated that he is a member of both factions. For the politically discerning it is clear that Mr Moyo's allegiance leans towards the Renewal Team, however, by remaining as a member of the MDCT puts Tsvangirayi and his Party in a very difficult position. Mr Moyo is actually expecting Tsvangirayi to fire him and this would be Tsvangirai's downfall as Mr Moyo would have all the legal and political ammunition to use against him. If Tsvangirai decides to dismiss him, what reasons will he put forward for doing so? If he decides to keep him, this will weaken him even further as people will start questioning his leadership credentials.

Mr Tsvangirai is left with one option, which he has used again and again, that is violence. Mr Tsvangirai will use his Youth to hound Mr Moyo out of the Party. This move will again highlight Tsvangirai's habit and tendency of resorting to violence when all he needs is brain work.

Either way Tsvangirai will emerge a loser in all this and Gorden Moyo a winner.

Thulani Nkala is a political analyst and commentator; he is currently the Secretary of Information, Publicity and Marketing for ZAPU Europe Province. He writes in his personal and private capacity his views are not to be misconstrued as belonging to the organisations he belongs to. He can be contacted on 07500563916 or thusinkala@gmail.com