(HERALD) Police release MDCT's chronicle of intraparty violence

Police release MDCT's chronicle of intraparty violence
Friday, 06 May 2011 00:00
By Tendai Mugabe

THE MDCT is topping the national violence record despite the party's claims that its supporters are on the receiving end of political violence in the country.

Police have just released a report on MDCT intraparty violence countrywide from January to April this year, which shows that the party has been involved in more than 20 incidences of violence.

The report was released on Tuesday.

Most of the violence was committed in the build up to the party's national congress held in Bulawayo last week.

Acrimonious factionalism and skirmishes marred the MDCT provincial elections as party members jostled for positions.

According to the report, on April 25 some MDCT supporters disrupted the party's restructuring meeting convened by the MDCT Harare provincial secretary for administration Mr Willias Madzimure at Harvest House.

The report reveals that the supporters accused Mr Madzimure of nepotism and favouritism, resulting in clashes that prompted the police to intervene to restore order.

The report shows that another MDCT member's house, Mr Lucky Parehwa who is also the party's Zengeza West district chairperson was petrolbombed on March 31.

Investigations in the matter showed that the bombing was a result of factionalism within the MDCT. The election of Mr Parehwa as chairperson of Zengeza West district had not gone down well with other party members.

In Bulawayo, the report chronicles that an MDCT member identified as Zulu was attacked by unknown assailants wearing masks who accused her of supporting Mr Gorden Moyo for the party's Bulawayo provincial chairmanship post instead of Mr Matson Hlalo.

"On April 02, Mr Sesil Zvidzai (MDCT national council member) convened a meeting at around 1100 hours, to restructure Bulawayo ward.

"During the process, people aligned to Mr Hlalo started beating drums, singing and blowing vuvuzelas outside the venue. However, Ms Thokozani Khupe (deputy president) intervened and the exercise continued," the report reads.

The report also reveals that MDCT supporters clashed at a meeting at Kubatana Hall in Zvishavane after Ms Llewellyn Sibanda, the party's Midlands South provincial chairperson announced names of candidates. There was violence after it was noted that another member's name, Mr Alois Zhou, was missing from the list.

In Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Manicaland provinces, the elections were marred by intraparty violence after several names of prospective candidates for various positions were also omitted from the final lists.

No MDCT senior official could be reached for comment last night.

The police report comes at a time when MDCT leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai has publicly acknowledged during his party's congress in Bulawayo that intraparty violence is a problem.

Mr Tsvangirai told his supporters that the party had resolved to set an independent commission to investigate all cases of violence that rocked the party during the runup to the congress.

He said the culture of violence was not acceptable in the party. There were also some clashes in different provinces with different faction members fighting over who was supposed to travel to Bulawayo for the congress.

However, speaking while closing the congress, Mr Tsvangirai shifted goal posts saying he was now going to visit all the party's provinces to deal with violence. He also claimed ZanuPF was behind the violence that was rocking his party.