Tsvangirai loyalists kidnap renewal team member

On Saturday Morgan Tsvangirai loyalists allegedly assaulted youths belonging to the Renewal Team, a faction so named after Secretary General Tendai Biti led calls for the leadership renewal within the party.

Senior member of the Renewal Team Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, told SW Radio Africa that Lameck Ndlovu was on Sunday driving a party vehicle belonging to the Matabeleland North province when 'known' Tsvangirai loyalists blocked him from the front and back, forcing him to stop.

Sipepa Nkomo said a fight then ensued as the assailants tried to kidnap him and throw him on to the back seat. Ndlovu reportedly fought back but in the process he dislocated his arm for which he has been treated. Sipepa Nkomo said both the vehicle and another youth who was in Ndlovu's company are missing and the incident has since been reported to the police.

As this was happening the party was slipping into further chaos with internal squabbles continuing unabated. In Bulawayo, the provincial executive suspended Magwegwe MP Anele Ndebele for assaulting a party member in November last year.

Party officials said Ndebele was suspended Friday for assaulting Tronix Nyamupingidza. But sources said the MP was a victim of infighting which is rocking the party, while Ndebele himself blamed his suspension on tribalism.

Many dramatic events have been reported countrywide since the split with the two rival factions fighting over the party assets. A forth night ago, Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya, who is in the Renewal Team, was briefly detained by the police after Tsvangirai loyalists reported him for theft.