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Circus as Biti, 9 others ‘fired’ from PDP

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THE People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) general council yesterday booted out party leader, Tendai Biti, his deputy, Kucaca Phulu and eight other senior members, accusing them of unilaterally signing to the MDC Alliance in breach of the party’s standing resolutions.

THE People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) general council yesterday booted out party leader, Tendai Biti, his deputy, Kucaca Phulu and eight other senior members, accusing them of unilaterally signing to the MDC Alliance in breach of the party’s standing resolutions.

BY SILAS NKALA/BLESSED MHLANGA

Addressing journalists in Bulawayo, PDP secretary-general, Gorden Moyo announced the appointment of former national chairperson, Lucia Matibenga, as the party’s interim leader, with Sikhumuzo Ndiweni as her deputy.

“We did not fire anyone; the media reports the information that they have joined MDC Alliance. They have opted out, they made a decision, they made a resolution to join the MDC Alliance and this general council has accepted that members are free. We are a democratic party, where members have the right to decide to participate in different institutions, there is a right of association, there is a right of dissociation,” he said.

“This general council has reaffirmed the Mandel resolution, the congress resolution of September 11, 2015 and general council congress resolution, which says the party should concern itself in building a coalition, we believe in coalition,” he said, adding they were against joining a coalition, whose name portrays MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, as captain of the opposition camp.

Other top PDP officials shown the door were deputy-secretary-general, Willstaff Chitemere, organising secretary, Moses Manyengavana, spokesperson, Jacob Mafume, secretary for international affairs, Willas Madzimure, secretary for defence, Tawanda Vumo and secretary for economic affairs, Vince Musewe.

The latest move came shortly after Biti accused Moyo of pursuing tribal politics and also unilaterally committing the party to a parallel alliance with Dumiso Dabengwa’s Zapu and the Joice Mujuru-led National People’s Party (NPP).

Contacted for comment, Mafume yesterday said: “Gorden Moyo has decided to be a poster boy for tribalism and disunity in the opposition. He held a meeting at the home of NPP vice-president (Samuel) Sipepa Nkomo, defying common sense and legal reason and decided to fire Biti from the party.”

“The meeting is of no legal force or effect to PDP. It’s a kangaroo meeting, which is aimed at making sure that the opposition does not coalesce against Zanu PF. We are not sure what role does NPP have in the running of the PDP, but to say they are behind a grand plot to destabilise the opposition,” he said.