THE opposition MDC-T yesterday continued vacillating on whether to boycott or participate in the forthcoming 14 parliamentary by-elections with party leader Morgan Tsvangirai saying the standing committee’s recent resolution to boycott the polls could be reversed by the national executive and national council as it was not cast in stone.
BY MOSES MATENGA
The 14 seats fell vacant following the recall of 21 former MDC-T legislators who crossed the floor to MDC Renewal Team. Tsvangirai, through his spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka, said: “The national executive and national council will meet soon on the matter.
“Of course, there is robust debate in the party and in the country, but the organs will meet and the decisions will be communicated. The standing committee is a sub-committee of the national executive and I would not want to comment on what happened, but only to say the national executive will meet soon and that this has nothing to do with the leader of the MDC, but the relevant organs.”
Tsvangirai has over the past few days been under fire from other party members and political analysts for recalling the legislators and his party’s decision to boycott the by-elections.
But the MDC-T leader has often defended himself, saying the decision was in line with his party’s last congress resolutions.
Party insiders said camps had emerged in the MDC-T with moderates pushing for participation in the by-elections to retain the seats.
“Some want to participate, they feel we can win and retain the seats, but there are others who do not want to for some personal reasons. The debate is raging and no one knows what will come out,” the insider said.
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Last week, academic Ibbo Mandaza described the recall of the MPs as “stupid”, while political analyst Charles Mangongera said the action was tantamount to donating seats to Zanu PF.
