(THEDAILYNEWS ZIMBABWE) MDC slams Zanu-PF ‘divisive agenda’

MDC slams Zanu-PF ‘divisive agenda’
By Raymond Maingire
April 30, 2010

HARARE – The mainstream MDC has accused President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party of sly attempts to ignite divisions within its ranks by painting a picture of fierce internal fights between party leader Morgan Tsvangirai and secretary-generai Tendai Biti.

“The MDC unreservedly condemns the continued manufacturing of malicious documents alleging non-existent, imaginary and concocted power struggles and factions at the party’s headquarters at Harvest House in Harare,” said the MDC in a statement posted on its official website Thursday.

The MDC claimed Zanu-PF had authored a document that portrayed its party leadership as one in conflict.

This follows incidence of violence that broke out at the party headquarters in Harare two weeks ago during which some party youths went on the rampage leading to the assault of party director-general Toendepi Shonhe and security director Chris Dhlamini.

Media reports linked the violence to simmering squabbles between Tsvangirai loyalists and supporters of Biti. Biti is the Minister of Finance and widely regarded as the hardest working functionary in the government of national unity.

But the MDC denied this was a result of the two “factions” fighting for control of the party ahead of the MDC congress next year.

“We note with serious concern the smear campaign by shadowy offices in Zanu-PF to malign President Morgan Tsvangirai and secretary-general, Hon Tendai Biti by alleging they are involved in a non-existent power struggle,” said the MDC statement.

“Apparently, there is only one united leadership and one faction in the MDC; the gigantic faction of a collective unit of patriotic Zimbabweans fighting to bring real change to the people; the gigantic faction of a common, collective idea of real change.”

Following the violence, the MDC launched a probe and was on Friday expected to submit its findings.

A front page story published in Friday’s Herald and apparently linked to MDC sources, claimed the violence was torched by grievances over huge discrepancies in salaries being paid to “factions” in the party.

The MDC says the violence was merely an “administrative issue” which has since been overcome through suspensions of the culprits.

Said the MDC; “These are internal hygiene issues that a gigantic and mass-based party like the MDC can deal with.

“Unfortunately, these disturbances have provided an avenue for the traditional enemies of the people’s project to transport and relocate factionalism from its permanent home in Zanu-PF to the MDC.

“We also note that there are exogenously sponsored units traveling across the provinces to manufacture, promote and market images and impressions of a party riven with factionalism.

“As a party, we understand the frustrations of those who were defeated at the last election, but defeat should not be an excuse to indulge in shameful smear campaigns.

“We know that Zanu-PF would wish to export its endemic disease of regionalism and factionalism to the MDC. But no amount of daydreaming and hallucinations in the enemy’s camp will distract us from our historical mission to deliver real change.”