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Mr Tsvangirai

Hebert Zharare Political Editor—
MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s announcement yesterday that he had buried the hatchet with officials pressing for his ouster is a “cosmetic” posture meant to lure donors and supporters who are rapidly ditching him, insiders have said. Party officials said Mr Tsvangirai was insincere given that he maintained suspensions on provincial executives and yesterday met with their replacements in Harare.

In a statement after the meeting, Mr Tsvangirai said all warring parties had agreed to set aside their differences.
“I am proud to announce today that we have discussed our issues and there is now unprecedented harmony and unity of purpose in the MDC cockpit.

“We all agreed that we owed it to the members of the party and to the nation at large to discuss and resolve our matters so that we would be more effective in providing hope and a credible alternative to Zanu-PF.

“I can assure you that in those five hours of no-holds barred discussions (during last Friday’s national council meeting), we told each other the brutal but honest truth that will save this party and ensure the security of the faith and trust the people have bestowed on us,” he said.

However, suspended MDC-T Manicaland provincial spokesperson Mr Pishayi Muchauraya dismissed this as a non-event. He said many officials remained suspended and countless others lived in fear of being brutalised by hooligans aligned to Mr Tsvangirai.

In barely a month, MDC-T deputy treasurer Mr Elton Mangona, youth leader Mr Promise Mkwananzi, Harare North youth secretary for information Ms Angela Hwanyanya and provincial secretary Mr Chari Parirenyatwa have been physically attacked at the party’s Harvest House headquarters in Harare. Some of them were attacked as Mr Tsvangirai watched.

Other officials like secretary-general Mr Tendai Biti and another youth leader Mr Solomon Madzore have narrowly escaped assaults. “There is no way he can talk about unity when Mangoma remains on suspension, when the majority of the people in provinces are still on suspension, when purging of provincial officials is still ongoing and when he continues to make unilateral decisions in the party.

“This is just a cosmetic posture to hoodwink donors and supporters so that they think there is unity in MDC-T. If the call is genuine, why is it that some members of the national standing committee have not been allowed to address the meetings? He just wants to steal money from donors and supporters,” said Mr Muchauraya.

He went on: “All the suspended members in provinces are living in fear; in Matabeleland North, Bulawayo, Matabeleland South and Masvingo. I am living in fear of the hooligans here in Manicaland.

“We challenge Mr Tsvangirai that if he wants peace and unity in the party, he is supposed to have reached out to all members before first going to give his statement.”

Said another official: “If he is serious with his unity call, ask him why suspended officials were not present at the meeting today (yesterday).”

Mr Tsvangirai said Mr Mangoma was absent because the national council had suspended him pending appearance before a disciplinary tribunal.