All is not well in the MDC-Renewal

ALL is not well in the MDC-Renewal amid revelations that workers are taking the party to the Labour Court over non-payment of salaries.

One of the workers, Alick Tabe, the provincial administrator in Masvingo, who ditched MDC-T to join the splinter group, has since filed his case at the Labour Court and it is set to be heard on January 29 by labour officer Ernest Mazorodze.

Tabe will be represented by Collin Maboke of Maboke and Ruvengo Legal practitioners.

Tabe claims they have not been paid their salaries since January last year.

He said the party was claiming that they had no contract of employment.

"I engaged the party to no avail and I was left with no option," Tabe said.

"Three other workers from Harare are also taking the legal route.

"The argument by the party is that we do not have a contractual basis to take them to court.

"But that is baseless because in the first place, we were employed by (MDC-Renewal secretary-general Tendai) Biti when we were in the MDC-T and also the Mandel Training Centre resolutions claim that we are the bona fide MDC.

"So if the Renewal is the bona fide MDC and I was already employed before we broke ranks with (MDC-T leader Morgan) Tsvangirai, then I am a bona fide employee of the party."

Sources in the party claimed all workers deemed to be aligning themselves with Elton Mangoma are being purged in the fight for leadership of the party.

Mangoma and Biti are said to be in a tussle to lead the party.

A congress is set to be held this year to choose the leader of the party.

Efforts to get comment from MDC-Renewal were fruitless by end of day yesterday.