Tsvangirai is not to blame

JOHANNESBURG - Mr. Mfundo Sibanda, a former youth leader claims to have defected from the mainstream MDC party in South Africa throwing a litany of allegations. Writing on his Facebook page, he claims to be fed up with the Tsvangirai administration and has since joined the erstwhile MDC Renewal fronted by Ms Sekai Hollard generally believed to be a proxy of Mr. Tendai Biti the ousted secretary general of the MDC T.

Sources close to Mr. Mfundo Sibanda have revealed further allegations bordering on tribalism within the party youth structures, general dissatisfaction among others matters.

In the spirit of fair play, we contacted Dr. Wangu Mazodze, the spokesperson of the Tsvangirai- Led MDC T party to comment on the matter:

"Let me put it on record that Mr. Mfundo Sibanda was our member until a few days back when he exercised his right to disassociate. We as a party of excellence respect his decision despite our sympathy for him as he embarks on a journey to nowhere, cognizant of his desire to join the Biti party which is yet to have a name; we remain ready to receive him back into the party of excellence as we have done with others in accordance with the statutes and norms of the party.

On his unfounded allegations of tribalism, we encourage him to respect himself and do a self introspection and be honest to himself. The MDC T in South Africa has an excellent matrix and is a complete hybrid of all tribes in Zimbabwe and is properly represented at all levels. His assertion that the leadership of the Youth Assembly is to blame for his decision has no basis and is a lame excuse to tarnish the good image of the unquestionable vanguard of our party. The Chairperson, Mr Shelton Chiyangwa refuted all the allegations and expressed shock at this poorly made decision.

Neither do we have kind words for him when he throws in the name of the President Dr. Morgan Tsvangirai into this issue as there is no record of him ever dialoguing or meeting the great icon in his entire life. In the same vein we applaud our youth leaders who engaged him on his "grievances" in a bid to dissuade him from joining the gallery of dishonor and other democratic deserters who are now wondering in the political wilderness. Mr. Sibanda was simply supposed to swallow the democratic pill and move on as his elective congress loss to Mr. Patrick Danga was a victory for the party and democracy at large.

Whereas we appreciate his compromised and challenged situation worsened by the continued luring and a conceited bid by our erstwhile former comrades to buy and poach people from the big tent all premised on financial gain. Probably it is a ploy to finance the expensive festive period in the event that the few notes are eventually passed on to him."

The MDC Renewal team in South Africa could not issue a statement by the time of going to press. It was not possible to ascertain the press officer of the organization and the national spokesperson's phone rang answered. Speaking  off record, a "member" of the party  confirmed that there are no party structures in South Africa but some pockets of sympathizers scattered all over the country. "I am shocked that someone can leave Tsvangirai when some of us contemplate swallowing our pride and going back to the big tent," quipped a member who preferred anonymity.