MDC-T has delayed sanctioning party heavyweights implicated in the Trust Manda Commission report on violence amid fears any decisive action could further widen fissures in the party ahead of next year’s crucial elections.
Report by Staff Writer
The commission investigated intra-party violence that rocked MDC-T in Bulawayo, Chitungwiza, Midlands North, Masvingo and Mashonaland West in the run-up to the party’s congress last year.
MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe, Bulawayo provincial chairman Gorden Moyo and Mzilikazi senator Matson Hlalo were named by party leader Morgan Tsvangirai as instigators of violence in Bulawayo.
MDC-T national chairperson and chairperson of the disciplinary committee, Lovemore Moyo, said there were discussions within the party’s standing committee about the disciplinary action, but no concrete steps have been taken as yet.
“The committee is still to receive the formal complaint and charge sheet against those accused from the secretary-general (Tendai Biti) for us to institute the proceedings,” Moyo said. Party spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora was not available for comment.
This i believe, is the very reason why certain things went seriously wrong within ZANU PF. Every political party is guided by policy and if the MDC has a position within its policy to deal with violence then they must deal with the culprits now. The idea of covering certain wrongs to protect certain interests is what has caused corruption to be at the higher echelons of power in ZANU PF.