MDC-T vice-president Ms Thokozani Khupe, party national
chairman Mr Lovemore Moyo and suspended national organising secretary Mr
Abednico Bhebhe yesterday boycotted a low-key launch of the MDC Alliance held
at White City Stadium in Bulawayo as it has become apparent that the fractious
opposition party is headed for another split.
The trio is against an alliance with other political
parties, arguing that the party can go it alone in the Matabeleland region.
MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai subtly responded to the trio’s boycott with a
thinly veiled dig at his deputy, whom he accused of attempting to divide the
party along ethnic lines.
Ms Khupe’s boycott was felt as the alliance only drew just
over 2 000 supporters to the launch, despite claiming stranglehold of urban
areas, particularly Bulawayo. Addressing the thrifty gathering, Mr Tsvangirai,
in apparent reference to Ms Khupe, Mr Moyo and Mr Bhebhe who are all from
Matabeleland, described people who promote ethnicity as dangerous.
“I’m very concerned that we are now forming different groupings
and formations. Zezuru unconquerable, Karanga invincible, Ndebele hegemony.
This is a very dangerous development. This country should never be divided on
the basis of ethnicity. Those who are promoting ethnicity and ethnic
affiliations are dangerous for this country,” he said.
Mr Tsvangirai said the alliance was bigger than individual
parties and leaders should not prioritise personal ambitions ahead of interests
of the greater membership. In what seemed like a reluctant extension of an
olive branch to his renegade deputy Mr Tsvangirai said while there may be
differences within the individual political parties, dialogue should always
take precedence over any other action.
“This alliance is a far bigger vision than the individual
political parties that are in it. In our individual parties we may have
disputes, we may have differences, but nothing beats dialogue. That is
leadership. Even if you disagree with me, the first basis you must understand
is that nothing beats dialogue,” he said.
Mr Tsvangirai also predicted more squabbles within the
opposition coalition.
“As we move to a new Zimbabwe led by the alliance, you will
see that there will be squabbling here and there. Some of the disputes will be
informed by individual personal interests,” he said.
Meanwhile, MDC-T MP for Mkoba constituency in Gweru Mr Amos
Chibaya let the cat out of the bag when he inadvertently revealed the envisaged
leadership hierarchy of the MDC Alliance. Mr Chibaya, who was one of the
directors of ceremonies, introduced MDC president Professor Welshman Ncube as
the vice-president of the MDC Alliance as he called him to the podium to
address the gathering.
The sitting arrangement at the high table and the order in
which the alliance principals addressed the gathering had already strongly
hinted how power is likely to be distributed in the coalition. Mr Tsvangirai,
who was accompanied by his wife Elizabeth, sat in the middle flanked by Prof
Ncube, who sat immediately on his right, and People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
leader Mr Tendai Biti who was sitting on Mr Tsvangirai’s left.
Leaders of the smaller political parties in the alliance,
Retired Brigadier-General Agrippa Mutambara, of the Zimbabwe People First
(ZimPF), Transform Zimbabwe president, Mr Jacob Ngarivhume and Multiracial
Christian Democrats, (MCD) leader Mr Mathias Guchutu sat at further away from
Mr Tsvangirai although they were on the high table.
Mr Ngarivhume was the first among the party leaders to
speak, followed by Rtd Brig-Gen Mutambara, Mr Guchutu, Mr Biti, Prof Ncube
before Mr Tsvangirai who is leader of the alliance gave the key note address.
Mr Biti, who in the past had been adamant that the
coalition was yet to endorse Mr Tsvangirai as its leader yesterday referred to
Mr Tsvangirai as “the leader of the alliance” during his salutation, in an
apparent endorsement.
Rtd Brig-Gen Mutambara spelled doom for the coalition after
he said the alliance will disintegrate into the individual small political
formations after the elections.
“Some of our supporters are saying we have been swallowed.
No, that’s not it. This is a tactical alliance. After removing Zanu-PF we will
return to our parties because there is freedom of association in this country,”
he said to a muted response from the crowd that was largely MDC-T.
PDP secretary-general Mr Gorden Moyo was conspicuous by his
absence at the launch, while MDC-T Bulawayo provincial chairman Councillor Gift
Banda, who seems to have broken ranks with Ms Khupe attended and gave the
welcoming remarks. sunday news
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