'Tsvangirai has never married a Zanu PF member,' says Moyo

'Suspended' MDC-T national chairman Lovemore Moyo has reacted with disdain to an argument that former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai soiled the party by marrying into 'enemy families'.

In his answering affidavit to a High Court challenge by 'expelled' deputy treasurer general Elton Mangoma, Moyo denied Tsvangirai married a Zanu PF activist. Moyo is cited as first respondent while Tsvangirai is third respondent in the court case.

Mangoma accused Tsvangirai of soiling the MDC-T brand and legacy through his love shenanigans and "marriages" into Zanu PF families.

Moyo said the opposition strongman had not married into "enemy" families.

"It is difficult to understand what are called Zanu PF families. This is because often members of the same families belonged to different political parties. The 3rd respondent has never married a Zanu PF member as alleged," the MDC-T chairperson said.

Tsvangirai early last year married Elizabeth Macheka, daughter of Zanu PF Central Committee member Joseph. This happened soon after he divorced Lorcadia Karimatsenga Tembo after a short-lived traditional marriage.

Karimatsenga Tembo is reportedly related to Zanu PF lawmaker for Goromonzi Beatrice Nyamupinga. Tsvangirai allegedly paid Karimatsenga Tembo a staggering $300 000, $200 000 of which was funded from party coffers.

Meanwhile, Moyo revealed that Tsvangirai wants to buy the plush house bought for him by the inclusive government when he was prime minister.

"The issue of the house that the 3rd respondent (Tsvangirai) is occupying is a contractual issue with the government and does not give rise to conflict of interest. In terms of the contract with government, 3rd respondent has the right of first refusal to purchase the house. He has made it clear that he wants to exercise that right," the affidavit reads in part.

Moyo was responding to accusations by Mangoma that the former premier's burning desire to buy the house had clouded his judgement and compromised his position as an opposition leader.

In his founding affidavit, Mangoma said Tsvangirai was "squatting in his formal residence, a plush castle in the leafy suburb of Highlands".

"He is thus at the mercy of the government which can eject him at any time. As a result he (Tsvangirai) cannot criticise, antagonise or rock the boat for fear of finding himself homeless. This has put him in a conflicted and compromised position where he is  leading without in fact leading the opposition," Mangoma said. The former Energy Minister questioned the source of the $4 million that Tsvangirai would need to buy the house.

While Moyo in his affidavit admitted that Mangoma wrote a letter calling for leadership renewal, the MDC-T chairman claimed Tsvangirai initiated the debate. Moyo added that the party's national executive and standing committee then directed that the debate be confined to the party's structures which "the applicant stubbornly refused to honour".

"It was also directed that leadership of the party would be changed by congress and not through some boardroom arrangement. Applicant does not want this either," Moyo charged.

The former Speaker of House of Assembly, however, denied Mangoma had written the letter out of his commitment to the democratic struggle in Zimbabwe.

"In fact, applicant sought to effect a change of leadership outside a democratic process

"Applicant wanted the crucial debate on leadership renewal confined to only four out of 12 people (who make up) the standing committee. The majority of the standing committee with the exception of the applicant and two more people rejected applicant's proposals and dismissed some of the allegations raised in the letter as untrue."