adminPamela Shumba Chronicle Reporter
AN MDC-T meeting for Mpopoma-Pelandaba constituency ended in chaos on Saturday when the local Member of the National Assembly, Bekithemba Nyathi, allegedly threatened to “fix” district executives for working against him.He allegedly also went on to insult them using unprintable words.
However, sources said Nyathi was left with an egg on his face when party members booed him. Nyathi is said to have launched the verbal attack on party members, accusing them of undermining his authority and voting for rival “rebel” Samuel Sandla Khumalo during the party’s primary elections last year.
Party members accused Nyathi, the provincial youth chairman, of disrespect saying he was responsible for creating divisions in the party.
They also alleged that the MP was sexually abusing female party members and complained over his failure to pay his agents during the last election.
“It all started when the district chairperson Edward Simela tried to address us during the meeting in Mpopoma and we told him to sit down because we had passed a vote of no confidence against him,” a party member said on condition of anonymity.
“Nyathi, who was in the company of some youths arrived at the meeting and interrupted us saying the decision to pass a vote of no confidence against Simela, was nullified by the provincial leadership.”
Sources said party members challenged Nyathi on the issue resulting in a misunderstanding.
“Nyathi became emotional and told us that he did not care. He insulted us using unprintable words and threatened to fix us for voting for Sandla Khumalo instead of him during the primary elections,” said the source. Ward 13 Councillor Lot Siziba confirmed that party members in the area were divided and accused senior leaders of intimidating them.
“There is too much intimidation within the party and this has created divisions which affect progress in the district,” he said adding, “We last had a peaceful meeting a long time ago because of destructive leaders.”
“I am one of the affected victims because some party members have demonstrated at my house accusing me of working with Zanu-PF. They forget that some programmes require collaboration with the community and other political parties.”
Sources said after the meeting Nyathi rushed to the police to file a report claiming that party members had soiled his Pelandaba office with used condoms.
Nyathi declined to comment when asked about the accusations and only said, “I do not know anything. Talk to the people who told you that.”
Online Reporter