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due to factionalism as it emerged that provincial chairman Mr Gorden Moyo’s camp wants to purge its rival led by Senator for Mzilikazi, Mr Matson Hlalo.
It is understood Mr Moyo’s faction has set up structures to boot out legislators and councillors aligned to Sen Hlalo ahead of polls next year.
The rift between the two camps emanated from the ascendancy of Mr Moyo to the chair of the province ahead of Sen Hlalo in a violent contest that marred the party’s congress last year.
Mr Moyo was appointed minister by party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai at the inception of the inclusive Government.
Sources in the party say jostling for positions has already started with Mr Moyo’s faction reportedly in control of the province because of his close links with Mr Tsvangirai.
“Most people who belong to the Hlalo camp are likely to lose their constituencies because Gorden’s team has put in structures that will push out everyone who belongs to the other camp,” said a source.
“What they have done so far is to put the structures in Bulawayo East constituency that belongs to Thabitha Khumalo. The intention is to move Dorcas Sibanda (deputy chair of the province) from Bulawayo Central to Bulawayo East so that Thokozani Khupe moves to Bulawayo Central.
“Gorden will then contest in Makokoba where MaKhupe has lost support.”
Party insiders claimed Nkulumane MP Mr Thamsanqa Mahlangu and Luveve Senator Ms Agnes Sibanda were not going to be spared while national executive member Mr Norman Mabhena’s intentions to stand in the parliamentary elections was also going to be frustrated.
Another source added: “The other MPs who belong to Gorden’s camp include Albert Mhlanga (Pumula) who is the provincial organising secretary and Samuel Khumalo who represents Mpopoma-Pelandaba. Gorden’s camp is able to do whatever they want because they have the backing of the party leadership in Harare. For instance, Tsvangirai is the one who signed the letter that dismissed Thabitha Khumalo as deputy spokesperson but she had not been brought before a disciplinary committee, let alone her crime was not spelt out.
“The post of the deputy president of the party is reserved for a woman from Bulawayo so Thabitha was targeted because she challenged Khupe for the post at the last congress. She is also suspected of having played a role in the defections that characterised Khupe’s constituency together with Hlalo.”
The source added that Deputy Prime Minister Khupe had lost popularity in Makokoba, which made it difficult for her to retain the constituency in the polls next year.
Sen Hlalo on Wednesday expressed ignorance at the move saying elections were too far to start jostling for power. “I am not aware of such things and besides I don’t think they can do such a thing because we are looking at a bigger picture than individuals,” he said.
Sen Hlalo said they were working well with Mr Moyo’s team.
In written responses, Mr Moyo said Bulawayo was one of the most contested regions in the country. He said the people of Bulawayo were mature citizens who once they make up their minds on which leader to work with would not turn their back.
“So I took up the responsibility of being the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province chair fully aware of the challenges and expectations. Therefore we have been working at council, provincial and national Government levels to push ideas and projects that will bring development and progress to Bulawayo.
“What happened last year was just a normal internal democratic process of electing the leadership of the party in Bulawayo. I emerged as the preferred choice to spearhead the growth and expansion of the party, not a winner.
“The notion of beating is calculated to foment and perpetuate bitterness, division and strife in our party. As a party we resolved that we would move from pre-congress and congress issues,” he said.
He said the focus of the province was to work as a team with mutual respect among the leaders.
Online Reporter