Tsvangirai acknowledges party violence

commission of inquiry to investigate senior officials behind an orgy of violence witnessed during the run up to the party’s congress.
Officially opening the party’s women and youths assemblies meetings in Bulawayo yesterday, Mr Tsvangirai said the party leadership had abundant evidence and names of individuals behind the violence that rocked the MDC-T.
Mr Tsvangirai claimed that MDC-T even had pictures of the culprits adding that they would not get away with the mischief.
He said the party’s national executive had resolved to expel all the culprits.
“There will be no tolerance of violence in the MDC. There will be no sanctioning of corruption in the MDC and there will be no reward for patronage in the MDC,” he said.
Out of frustration, Mr Tsvangirai urged party supporters to vote against members fanning violence during elections for the new executive during the congress.
He said: “Let me tell you now, it is your duty to shun, reject and discard those that promoted violence . . . This party has no place for violence. We took a decision as an executive to expel those who were involved in violent activities.
“We are going to take a resolution tomorrow (today) to expel those involved in violence. They will not get away with it. We will institute an independent commission of inquiry,” he said.
Mr Tsvangirai claimed the MDC-T was the only party in Zimbabwe with a culture of expelling rowdy members.
Those likely to face the axe are the youths hired to unleash violence during the party’s provincial elections but the MDC-T leader said he was aware that some senior party officials were behind the violence.
Ironically, the MDC-T leader claimed that his party supporters were on the receiving end of political violence in the country.
This is despite his public admission that there was violence and corruption during the run-up to the MDC-T congress.
He said the challenge was on those to be elected as leaders at congress to deal decisively with the scourge.
Mr Tsvangirai also bemoaned divisions that had torn the party into two factions in many provinces.
It is believed there are two factions within the MDC-T, one aligned to Mr Tsvangirai and the other to the party secretary general Mr Tendai Biti.
Mr Tsvangirai took a swipe at some party members who were using money to buy positions at congress.
“Those using money and promoting violence are not for you.
“I saw some dishing out leaflets urging party members to vote for them. That is influencing the voting process. Your vote is your secret and that culture is very divisive,” he said.
The MDC-T national women’s assembly congress was held at Barbourfields Stadium while the youths convened theirs at the Amphitheatre in the city.
Violence is not a new phenomenon in MDC-T as records will show that in the past a number of commissions were set to deal with the matter but to no avail as the culprits were believed to be protected by Mr Tsvangirai.
Before the party split in 2005, senior party officials like the then secretary general Professor Welshman Ncube, Priscillah Misihairabwi-Mushonga, Trudy Stevenson, and Timothy Mubawu were among the victims of intra party violence.
The admission of violence within the MDC-T by Mr Tsvangirai comes barely a month after the MDC-T leader went around the Sadc region claiming his party supporters were being assaulted by Zanu-PF members.
The MDC-T also recently raised the same claims in Cabinet, though the party leaders failed to substantiate them.