News / National
Zanu-PF trying to derail Tsvangirai
20 Nov 2015 at 07:02hrs | Views
With Zanu-PF arguably at its weakest point ever due to its deadly factional and succession wars, there are claims that the ruling party is working to weaken the MDC ahead of the 2018 elections by manufacturing divisions among opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's leadership team.
Both Zanu-PF and MDC .sources claimed in interviews with the Daily News yesterday that President Robert Mugabe's ruling party was "hell bent on stirring animosity" between Tsvangirai and former MDC organizing secretary Nelson Chamisa.
The Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T party recently claimed that Zanu-PF was plotting to pour in $100 million to destabilise opposition parties ahead of the 2018 general elections.
MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said Zanu-PF was behind the current infighting in the former labour-backed party that is threatening a fourth split since its inception in 1999.
Although Zanu-PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere rubbished the allegations, Gutu said Zanu-PF was sponsoring destabilisation in the MDC-T through the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).
Gutu said: "Zanu-PF is desperate, Zanu-PF and CIO are working overtime to destroy the MDC and have poured in $100 million to collapse the MDC-T as a destabilisation campaign. It's a serious campaign and since Zanu-PF is imploding, they try to paint a similar picture of the MDC-T."
He added: "There is no clash in the MDC-T. Nelson Chamisa is a founder member, he grew up in the party, he is a vital cog of the party and it's a figment of detractors' imagination that he will leave the party. He is not going anywhere."
The MDC-T is currently locked in a bitter internal strife between Tsvangirai loyalists and those aligned to Chamisa, the former national organiser.
The MDC-T had its first split in 2005 when former secretary-general Welshman Ncube and national executive member Job Sikhala formed the MDC and MDC99 respectively before another former secretary-general Tendal Biti and deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma also packed their bags last year.
Biti and Mangoma, however, parted ways after working together for hardly a year.
Kasukuwere hit back saying: "He (Tsvangirai) must leave us alone and concentrate on his collapsed party which can't even bury members. If he can't organise a burial, how can he organise a demonstration or a party?"
Responding to threats of demonstrations planned by the MDC-T, Kasukuwere said: "You (MDC-T) refuse to participate in a democratic process and resort to illegal demonstrations and you think you can master support which you have failed in a democratic process."
The MDC-T has started engaging in democratic protests demanding President Robert Mugabe's resignation.
Gutu said the party leadership, including Tsvangirai, will also join in the protests.
"This is not boardroom politics, leaders will be in the forefront," he said.
Both Zanu-PF and MDC .sources claimed in interviews with the Daily News yesterday that President Robert Mugabe's ruling party was "hell bent on stirring animosity" between Tsvangirai and former MDC organizing secretary Nelson Chamisa.
The Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T party recently claimed that Zanu-PF was plotting to pour in $100 million to destabilise opposition parties ahead of the 2018 general elections.
MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said Zanu-PF was behind the current infighting in the former labour-backed party that is threatening a fourth split since its inception in 1999.
Although Zanu-PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere rubbished the allegations, Gutu said Zanu-PF was sponsoring destabilisation in the MDC-T through the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).
Gutu said: "Zanu-PF is desperate, Zanu-PF and CIO are working overtime to destroy the MDC and have poured in $100 million to collapse the MDC-T as a destabilisation campaign. It's a serious campaign and since Zanu-PF is imploding, they try to paint a similar picture of the MDC-T."
He added: "There is no clash in the MDC-T. Nelson Chamisa is a founder member, he grew up in the party, he is a vital cog of the party and it's a figment of detractors' imagination that he will leave the party. He is not going anywhere."
The MDC-T had its first split in 2005 when former secretary-general Welshman Ncube and national executive member Job Sikhala formed the MDC and MDC99 respectively before another former secretary-general Tendal Biti and deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma also packed their bags last year.
Biti and Mangoma, however, parted ways after working together for hardly a year.
Kasukuwere hit back saying: "He (Tsvangirai) must leave us alone and concentrate on his collapsed party which can't even bury members. If he can't organise a burial, how can he organise a demonstration or a party?"
Responding to threats of demonstrations planned by the MDC-T, Kasukuwere said: "You (MDC-T) refuse to participate in a democratic process and resort to illegal demonstrations and you think you can master support which you have failed in a democratic process."
The MDC-T has started engaging in democratic protests demanding President Robert Mugabe's resignation.
Gutu said the party leadership, including Tsvangirai, will also join in the protests.
"This is not boardroom politics, leaders will be in the forefront," he said.
Source - Daily News
