Mangoma to be expelled from MDC-T

MDC-T deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma faces expulsion amid reports that he will soon be charged for bringing the name of the party into disrepute as well as fanning factionalism.

Party national chairperson  Lovemore Moyo, who is heading a probe team into the conduct of Mangoma, yesterday declined to confirm whether the former Energy minister would be charged and if he had concluded the investigations.

"I cannot discuss the issue of whether we have finished or not before we update the national council. He (Mangoma) has not yet been charged, it is not our duty but that of the national council to prefer charges against him," Moyo said. "Our job is to investigate and present our findings to the national council which we are likely to do if the meeting scheduled for the weekend is convened."

Mangoma is at the centre of a raging leadership battle within the MDC-T that exploded following a humiliating loss to Zanu PF in last year's July 31 polls.

The deputy treasurer-general wrote in January to party president Morgan Tsvangirai asking him to step down and pave the way for an elective congress.

Mangoma was following in the footsteps of exiled party treasurer Roy Bennett who called for Tsvangirai to be removed and allow for a new leader. He was followed by former Marondera legislator Ian Kay who characterised Tsvangirai as "a rust bolt that needed to be removed".

Kay was sanctioned and there were attempts by a section of the provincial leadership in Mashonaland East to ban him for five years.

Another influential figure within the MDC-T's ranks to call for Tsvangirai's removal was former Harare mayor Elias Mudzuri who called on the former trade unionist to resign and "be the Mandela of the party" in reference to the late iconic former South African president and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela.

Impeccable sources within the MDC-T yesterday told The Zimbabwe Mail that Moyo's team had completed their investigations and would ask the national council to charge Mangoma.

"He will be charged with bringing the name of the party into disrepute in that being a senior member of the party, he deliberately and against party directive discuss confidential party issues in the media as well as fanning factionalism," said a senior party member.

MDC-T information chief Douglas Mwonzora said the national council would be held on Friday and whatever report Moyo's team would bring before  it "will not convert the meeting into a disciplinary hearing against Mangoma".

"There are quite a number of outstanding disciplinary cases pending and the recommendation that could only come out of the investigation (by Moyo) will be to have Mangoma appear before a disciplinary committee and that is if they think he has a case to answer," said Mwonzora.

Mangoma, two months ago, wrote a damning letter to Tsvangirai asking the ex-prime minister to resign and pave way for an elective congress under the leadership of deputy president Thokozani Khupe, torching an acrimonious fight with Tsvangirai and hawks now baying for disciplinary measures.

Mangoma was violently attacked by angry party youths in an incident that has drawn broad condemnation, with Tsvangirai reportedly at the centre as instigator-in-chief. Tsvangirai has denied the accusations and instead said he had tried his best to save his erstwhile comrade.