Acid test for Tsvangirai as parly expels 21 MDC-T 'rebel' MPs

Parliament has expelled the 21 MDC-T MPs who defected from the party to form the Renewal MDC and eventually joined the professor Welshman led MDC to form the United MDC.

The move paves the way for by elections to be held in their respective constituencies.

The 21 include UMDC secretary General, Tendai Biti, the Madzore brothers Paul and Solomon, Willias Madzimure, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo and his wife Roselene Nkomo, Lucia Matibenga, Bekithemba Nyathi, Settlement Chikwinya, Reggie Moyo, Gorden Moyo, Albert Mhlanga, Evelyn Masaiti, Judith Muzhavazhe and Moses Manyengavana.

The situation presents an acid test for MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai who last week vowed his party would not contest in any elections until the government effected electoral reforms.


Addressing journalists at The Press Club in Bulawayo, Tsvangirai said: "We have stated a position, we have a congress resolution that unless we have reforms we cannot participate to legitimise an election and that's the position of the party we cannot participate unless there are reforms."

Tsvangirai's party launched a spirited bid with the Speaker of Parliament to have the 21 MPs expelled from the August House following the recent expulsion of former Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa and Temba Mliswa.

"Please take out the word boycott because we have not boycotted any election we are putting conditions that we need elections that are free and fair, we need reforms before elections are conducted , we are only prefacing that we need reforms," said Tsvangirai.

If the MDC-T boycotts by-elections that would be called to replace the legislators, it would leave the door open to a two horse race between Zanu-PF and UMDC.

Tsvangirai's MDC-T would have its 49 National Assembly seats whittled down to 28.

Zanu-PF would have the chance to increase its overwhelming majority from 160 seats.

The MDC-T would also lose three senatorial seats as it has approached the speaker of parliament Jacob Mudenda, seeking the expulsion of Senators Sekai Holland, Rorana Muchihwa and Watchy Sibanda.

Last month MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu contradicted Tsvangirai's stance when he said the party was ready to field candidates to replace the 'rebels'.

Asked how he intended to run the country when he was not participating in elections, Tsvangirai responded: "What are elections? We have tried elections for a very long time, I won the 2002 and 2008 elections so it's not as if we were not participating in elections, they are not an election.

"I will lead this nation if elections are conducted freely and fairly."