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Zanu PF spies feeding us — MDC-T

Politics
THE opposition MDC-T party has claimed that it was working with factions within the ruling Zanu PF in their fight to succeed President Robert Mugabe.

THE opposition MDC-T party has claimed that it was working with factions within the ruling Zanu PF in their fight to succeed President Robert Mugabe, who has been in power since independence in 1980.

MOSES MATENGA

The party claimed that among many other things, Zanu PF factions provided the opposition MPs with information on corrupt deals implicating their rivals in the ruling party.

It is understood that the information would then be released during parliamentary debates in the august House, nailing Zanu PF stalwarts competing to succeed the 90-year-old Mugabe.

The opposition MPs claimed they were “friends” with Zanu PF MPs eager to expose each other and score goals in the ongoing jostling to succeed the Zanu PF leader.

MDC-T national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa said the ruling Zanu PF party was clueless on how to deal with the declining economy, throwing it into chaos.

Chamisa added that there was also a crisis in Zanu PF due to the succession battle pitting Vice-President Joice Mujuru and Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.

However, Mugabe has recently hinted none of the two protagonists would succeed him as they were fanning factions within the ruling party amid indications that former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono could be the frontrunner to replace the ageing leader.

“In Parliament, we are being fed by both factions. We choose which side to attack. Others say we die if we speak, but we don’t care,” Chamisa told MDC-T supporters in Kuwadzana on Sunday.

He accused Zanu PF of recycling ministers since independence, saying this in itself was a sign of failure to deal with real issues affecting the people.

But Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said if indeed Zanu PF factions were leaking information to the main opposition party, those involved should immediately stop it.

“If it’s true, those said to be doing that should stop forthwith. It’s being unprincipled and tragic if they indeed asked for support from MDC-T on this one,” Gumbo said.

Another MDC-T MP also claimed he was thoroughly briefed on the corruption cases involving Zanu PF stalwarts by individuals within the ruling party, but declined to name the said officials.

Zanu PF has been imploding, with infighting taking centre stage along factional lines.

Mugabe recently said it was not automatic that either Mujuru or Mnangagwa would succeed him. Mujuru and Mnangagwa have repeatedly denied leading any factions or harbouring presidential ambitions.

The fights in Zanu PF recently spilled into Parliament where Hurungwe West MP Temba Mliswa was at the forefront of exposing fellow Zanu PF officials for underhand dealings.

Mliswa accused Information, Media and Broadcasting Services minister Jonathan Moyo of fighting faction wars by using the media to expose members of a rival faction.

The Mashonaland West Zanu PF provincial chairman said Moyo was protecting his Zanu PF faction from public scrutiny, an allegation Moyo has disputed. Moyo said those “found with their hands in the till” should not blame factionalism.

MDC-T MPs, among them Chamisa, Mabvuku legislator James Maridadi and Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya, have been vocal in Parliament denouncing corruption within Zanu PF.