MDC-T suspends senior officials

THE faction-ridden opposition MDC-T has suspended two of its officials in Bulawayo as the purge within the party ranks over people opposing the MDC Alliance continues.

The two, the party's Bulawayo provincial secretary Ms Nomvula Mguni and Ward 15 Councillor Tamani Moyo, were suspended on Friday during a heated provincial executive meeting which saw members threatening to "deal" with their deputy president Dr Thokozani Khupe if the party fails to caution her over her open attack on the coalition being spearheaded by party president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.

Clr Moyo is also the provincial chairperson for the party's women's wing and at one point was pushing to replace Bulawayo deputy mayor, Clr Gift Banda when he had been expelled from the position by the Government.

Both Ms Mguni and Clr Moyo were being accused of leading the calls for the party to reject the coalition deal as they argued that the clauses included were unfair to the party especially in the province.

The suspension follows a decision by the party's national executive to suspend its national organising secretary Mr Abednico Bhebhe as the fall out with senior members in the Matabeleland region continues.

Confirming the suspensions, the party's acting chairperson, Bulawayo Central legislator, Ms Dorcas Sibanda said they had since served the two with their suspension letters pending investigations.

"I wouldn't say we suspended them because of their opposition to the alliance but we used grievances that were brought to us from their respective districts. We then looked at the party constitution and felt that the only route to take was to suspend them pending investigations.

"We have already served them with their suspension letters and I have also written to the national executive advising them of this decision. What I should however, emphasise is that people are free to choose what they want and the two are simply reaping what they sowed," said Ms Sibanda.

However, contacted for comment, Clr Moyo hit back at Ms Sibanda saying the province did not have the power to suspend her.

"I think she is sick or something because as far as I am concerned I have not been suspended. What jurisdiction do they have to suspend me?

"They don't have the power to suspend me at all. I will continue attending meetings and no one will stop me because I have not been suspended," said Clr Moyo.

Efforts to get a comment from Ms Mguni were fruitless as her mobile phone was not reachable. Sources who attended the meeting revealed that the districts were all in favour of the suspensions and further advised the provincial executive to write to the national executive and demand that Dr Khupe be reprimanded as a matter of urgency.

"The districts felt that since they deal with the grassroots, people now wanted answers because Dr Khupe's stance was now threatening to weaken the party ahead of the 2018 elections.

"The feeling is Dr Khupe and her supporters are dividing the party and if they are not dealt with urgently the party would split again," said the source.

Dr Khupe, Mr Bhebhe and the party's national chairperson Mr Lovemore Moyo are reportedly not happy with the formation of the MDC Alliance especially the allocation of constituencies among the parties.

Mr Tsvangirai formed the MDC Alliance with Transform Zimbabwe, Professor Welshman Ncube's MDC, Zimbabwe People First, the Multi-Racial Christian Democratic Party, People's Democratic Party, and Zanu Ndonga.

The party has a long history of splitting each time members disagree.

MDC split on October 12, 2005 in the wake of severe differences over participation in Senate elections with Mr Tsvangirai, who was pressuring for a boycott, leading what was then called the anti-senate faction, while Mr Gibson Sibanda, now late, led the pro-Senate faction. The anti-Senate faction was to become present day MDC-T while the pro-Senate faction is the MDC led by Prof Ncube, which further split to spawn MDC99 which was led by Mr Job Sikhala before he later joined MDC-T. There was a further split in 2014.