MDC-T violence not based on tribes as officials who are Ndebele get arrested

An MDC official Discent Collins Bajila has said the violence which broke out in Bulawayo MDC-T offices on Sunday can not be said to be tribal because some of the top provincial officials who were arrested on Tuesday were Ndebele thereby dismissing the claim that the fight is between Shonas and Ndebeles.

Bajila said the developing story of intraparty violence in MDCT in Bulawayo is developing a life of its own and some facts are coming out.

"Among the allegedly arrested are Ward 1 Councillor Mlandu Ncube and Ward 4 Councillor Gift Banda. Ncube is the Provincial Chair of the Youth Assembly. Banda is the provincial Chairperson of the main body of the party. It is important to note that Neither Banda nor Ncube are Shona and therefore if this violence is to be put in its proper context it can't be said to be a Ndebele Vs Shona fight. The fighting groups are organized around matters not related to tribe," he said.

"Banda and Ncube are the official leaders of party in Bulawayo but a meeting happened at the party provincial office convened by national leaders, excluding them as local leaders but inviting people from as far as Harare East like Obert Gutu. Indications are that there was a security team in place to bar and exclude these leaders. It was however overpowered. In condemning violence we need to go into its causes deeply. We however should never find excuses for violence."