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Tendai Biti

Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Correspondent
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has officially split, with the party’s secretary-general Dr Gorden Moyo yesterday announcing the sacking of Mr Tendai Biti as leader of the opposition outfit. Mr Moyo said they had since chosen Mrs Lucia Matibenga to lead PDP.

PDP spokesperson Mr Jacob Mafume yesterday dismissed Mr Moyo’s announcement as a nullity. In an interview with The Herald, Dr Moyo confirmed the sacking of Mr Biti, saying he violated the PDP constitution when he joined the MDC Alliance.

“Mr Biti and others exercised their right to join the MDC Alliance. The general council of PDP only filled the gaps created by their departure. Mrs Lucia Matibenga is now the president as per the constitution’s Article 10.3.1 which provides that in the event that the president and vice president are unable to discharge their duties, the national chair takes over as president,” he said

Dr Moyo said PDP dismissed Willias Madzimure, Evelyn Masaiti, Vince Musewe, Jacob Mafume, Settlement Chikwinya and Kucaca Phulu. But Mr Mafume hit back at Dr Moyo, describing him as a tribalist bent on dividing the party.

“Our official position is that Tendai Biti is still the president of PDP and he will remain the president until the next congress. Gorden Moyo is trying to stop the opposition from uniting under the MDC Alliance. He has made himself the poster child of disunity and tribalism. He will not succeed as the unity of the opposition is non-negotiable. The presidential candidature of Mr Tsvangirai in next year’s elections is non-negotiable,” he said.

Mr Tsvangirai brought together seven opposition parties into a coalition dubbed MDC Alliance. Political analysts said the coalition was bound to fail because of various reasons, including that the opposition parties lacked support.