adminTemba Dube Senior Reporter
MDC-T Bulawayo youth assembly yesterday declared Morgan Tsvangirai the party’s candidate for the 2018 elections in an apparent violation of the party’s constitution that stipulates the candidate will be chosen at the 2016 congress.Party members yesterday said the utterances made at the press conference at MDC-T Bulawayo offices were designed to instil fear in anyone who wanted Tsvangirai to step down.
They said it was a ploy to preempt Tsvangirai’s agenda ahead of his visit to the city next week. Provincial youth chair Bekithemba Nyathi told journalists: “We’re making it categorically clear that Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai is our candidate for 2018 elections.”
The MP for Mpopoma-Pelandaba constituency said Tsvangirai would remain at the helm of MDC-T despite the congress outcome. Nyathi blasted the party’s deputy treasurer general Elton Mangoma saying he lied when he was quoted in the Press saying Tsvangirai had instigated MDC-T youths to attack him outside harvest house recently.
“Take it whichever way but it is untrue. President Tsvangirai actually protected him. Zanu-PF thugs are responsible for the attack. Mangoma’s crime was to take party issues to the Press,” he said.
A senior MDC-T official quickly denounced Nyathi’s remarks saying his stance was in bad taste.
“Mangoma was assaulted by party youths for daring to suggest that Tsvangirai must step down. When we’ve the same youths making such a statement, we interpret it as a statement of intent to do the same thing to anyone who thinks like Mangoma. Where is the democracy in that?” asked the official who preferred anonymity. Mangoma declined to comment on the matter.
“If that’s what they’re saying, I have no comment. They talk of party issues being taken to the media. What were they doing at the Press conference?” asked Mangoma.
“I can only quote article 3 of the MDC-T’s constitution that says party members should be loyal to the party, not an individual; should be non-violent, tolerant and just, among other things. Otherwise, I have no comment.”
Mangoma stirred a hornet’s nest recently when he suggested that Tsvangirai should step down from the MDC-T presidency to pave way for leadership renewal in the party.
Party members took to social sites to denounce Mangoma who was assaulted in Harare last weekend by youths reportedly aligned to Tsvangirai.
The youths attacked Mangoma and youth leader Promise Mkwananzi outside MDC-T headquarters on Saturday. Party secretary-general Tendai Biti escaped the mob by throwing himself into Tsvangirai’s car, while another youth leader, Solomon Madzore, had to make a hasty retreat into the party headquarters.
Mangoma called on Tsvangirai to step down after leading the party to electoral losses against Zanu-PF and President Mugabe in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2013.
Online Reporter