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Supporters disrupt Tsvangirai

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MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai was yesterday forced to briefly adjourn his meeting with the Manicaland provincial executive in Mutare

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai was yesterday forced to briefly adjourn his meeting with the Manicaland provincial executive in Mutare after scores of angry party members stormed the provincial offices demanding that the entire executive be dissolved.

BY OBEY MANAYITI STAFF REPORTER

The placard-waving demonstrators, believed to be Tsvangirai loyalists, shouted derogatory messages accusing their provincial leaders of campaigning for his ouster. The opposition party has suspended several senior party leaders at national and provincial levels over allegations of fomenting divisions after they openly challenged the former Premier to step down as party leader.

First to face the axe was national deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma after he wrote to Tsvangirai urging him to relinquish his post and allow for leadership renewal. He was immediately followed by Manicaland provincial chairman Julius Magarangoma and provincial spokesperson Pishai Muchauraya; and Matabeleland North provincial chairperson Sengezo Tshabangu.

The suspended party members have since won the sympathy of secretary-general Tendai Biti, who in a recent letter to all provincial executives, described the suspensions as a legal nullity.

Tsvangirai, who was accompanied by his deputy Thokozani Khupe, organising secretary Nelson Chamisa and deputy secretary-general Tapiwa Mashakada among other top officials, later addressed the demonstrators, ordering them to hand in their placards and pledged to address their grievances.

He then asked them to leave the party office as he wanted to continue with his meeting, but some of the members continued milling around and intermittently breaking into song and dance.

Some of the placards read: “Dissolve Manicaland Provincial leadership; Mangoma, Biti, Magarangoma, Pishai, Mutseyami are the same; Tsvangirai is our leader and We want Tsvangirai not Biti.”

Addressing journalists after the meeting, MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said: “The party’s general position regarding office holders at any level is that they are put in or removed in a particular way. For the president of the party he or she is elected at the congress meaning he or she may not be removed outside congress.”

Mwonzora added: “Similarly other office holders are only removable in terms of the constitution of the party. People are not removed through demonstrations or any other expression of dislike. We don’t disallow basic freedoms in the MDC which includes freedom to demonstrate and petition leadership.”

He however said that Magarangoma and Muchauraya would be subjected to a disciplinary hearing and if found guilty, would be punished accordingly. The pair did not attend yesterday’s meeting.

Asked if the party would investigate the other provincial executive members alleged to be pushing for Tsvangirai to step down, Mwonzora said: “We are not going to investigate them because being demonstrated against is not an offence in the MDC. If there is any offence which they may have committed we start first by investigating them, but right now there is no action going to be taken against them. They will remain in their positions.”

But Muchauraya described the demonstrations as “stage-managed”, adding that he would not lose sleep over the action.

“As a province, we don’t lose sleep over stage-managed demonstrations by rented people who shun internal democracy and leadership renewal to rejuvenate our ailing party,” Muchauraya said.

“It is, however, funny that those who don’t want leadership renewal at the top want it at a lower structure. MDC is a value-based party. We respect the rights of citizens to freedom of expression and opinion. No one will be punished for exercising their rights.”

Addressing a campaign rally at Watsomba Business Centre in Mutasa Central, Tsvangirai claimed that Zanu PF had failed to stop the economic meltdown because of factional fights within its ranks.

He also said some Zanu PF members had attempted to lure him into another coalition government by dangling the Vice-President’s post to him, adding that he had snubbed the offer.

“This country is facing an economic crisis, but they (Zanu PF) will not be able to proffer solutions as long as they are divided. What (Justice minister Emmerson) Mnangagwa says will be opposed by (Vice-President Joice) Mujuru and what Mujuru says will be opposed by Mnangagwa,” he said in apparent reference to the two alleged Zanu PF faction leaders.

“I can assure you that MDC will solve this economic crisis overnight. Some in Zanu PF are saying let’s take Tsvangirai and offer him the Vice President post, but no I am not interested in that.

“We need a national dialogue to solve this immediate national problem. If they say they don’t want to talk, we will leave them, but I know they will come. This crisis is deepening and we should come together and solve it.”

Commenting on the leadership renewal calls in his party, Tsvangirai said he does not want a hostile takeover, adding that the calls were being fomented by Zanu PF agents.