Speaker to rule on MDC-T MPs

Lloyd Gumbo and Tendai Mugabe Harare Bureau
Speaker of the National Assembly Cde Jacob Mudenda will today rule on MDC-T factional leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s application to boot out of Parliament nine legislators aligned to his rival, secretary-general Tendai Biti, for refusing to recognise his leadership.Biti had already written to Cde Mudenda saying he should not entertain any moves from Tsvangirai’s camp to expel the legislators.

The secretary-general is among the MPs Tsvangirai wants expelled from Parliament for leading a faction calling for a change of guard in the opposition.

Biti’s faction has said it has suspended Tsvangirai and his acolytes from the party. Tsvangirai, on the other hand, says Biti and his cohorts have been expelled from MDC-T.

Under Zimbabwe’s laws, a party can recall MPs from Parliament.

Cde Mudenda has said of the contesting claims by the factions: “I have not yet finished (studying the letters), but I should be making the announcement tomorrow (today) by lunch hour.”

While he declined to divulge the contents of Tsvangirai’s letter, it is understood that the former Prime Minister wanted all the MPs aligned to Biti recalled.

This was in response to the Biti faction’s suspension of Tsvangirai, his deputy Thokozani Khupe, chairperson Lovemore Moyo and his deputy Morgan Komichi, spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora, and organising secretary Nelson Chamisa and his deputy Abednico Bhebhe.

In turn, Tsvangirai expelled Biti, deputy treasurer Mangoma and 10 legislators; namely: Solomon Madzore (Dzivaresekwa), Paul Madzore (Glen View South), Moses Manyengavana (Highfield West),Willas Madzimure (Kambuzuma), Samuel Sipepa Nkomo (Lobengula), Bekithemba Nyathi (Pelandaba Mpopoma), Evelyn Masaiti (Proportional representation), Settlement Chikwinya (Mbizo), Reggie Moyo (Luveve) and Watchy Sibanda (Senator, Matabeleland South).

The two warring factions are now embroiled in a fierce battle to control the party’s few MPs.

Mwonzora claimed yesterday that seven of the nine MPs who attended Biti’s meeting that suspended Tsvangirai and his top five lieutenants had approached them seeking to rejoin their camp.

The Biti faction called the claims “mere hallucinations” by a “confused” camp.

Jacob Mafume, spokesperson of the Biti faction, said a mass exodus had hit the Tsvangirai camp, with more MPs joining them.

Mwonzora refused to divulge the names of those who approached them save to say negotiations were under way with the “prodigal sons”.

“I can confirm that we have been approached by seven out of the nine MPs who attended the Mandel meeting,” he said. “I can not disclose their names now because I can jeopardise discussions that are still under way.”

Mafume responded: “That is Mwonzora’s figment of hyper imagination. They have realised that it is not possible to recall MPs from Parliament as they had declared so they are actually chickening out from their statement. There will be no apology from the MPs and if anything there are more MPs who are joining us and they will be announcing themselves in due course.”

Mafume challenged Mwonzora to divulge the names of the defecting MPs.