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MDC-T clips Biti’s wings
By Tendai Mugabe
MDC-T has diluted secretary-general Mr Tendai Biti powers and given greater authority in the party’s day-to-day affairs to his deputy, Mr Tapiwa Mashakada.
The move is understood to be part of a wider attempt to formally suspend Mr Biti as in-fighting increases.
Party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai reportedly ordered the changes at an MDC-T standing committee meeting at their Harvest House headquarters in Harare on Thursday last week.
Efforts to get a comment from party spokesman Mr Nelson Chamisa — as well as other senior leaders — were fruitless yesterday as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Deputy organising secretary Mr Morgan Komichi said Mr Biti had not been suspended and it was normal for Mr Mashakada’s office to have a central role to play in the party.
"On Thursday, we actually had a good meeting focusing on party programmes. Mr Mashakada is the deputy secretary-general and it is the normal set-up that he works together with the secretary-general.
"In fact, we didn’t have any discussion of that nature. Maybe people are just mixing things with inquiries in the disturbances that happened at Harvest House," he said.
Insiders say the dilution is part of an agenda to force Mr Biti out of the party ahead of a congress scheduled for May 2011.
Mr Komichi yesterday said: "We have resolved as a party that we will hold our congress after general elections and that decision was agreed on by the standing committee, national executive and national council."
Informed sources at Harvest House said Mr Mashakada was now in charge of MDC-T’s administration.
The official party line is that they want to give Mr Biti "a chance to concentrate on business as Finance Minister".
Mr Biti is Finance Minister in the inclusive Government while Mr Mashakada holds no post in Government.
"The party president said Mr Biti was overburdened and should concentrate on his Government business while Mr Mashakada helps him with party administration.
"The president announced that Mr Mashakada was now responsible for overseeing the day-to-day running of the party and Mr Biti could now concentrate on his role as Finance Minister.
"However, the feeling in the party is that they are preparing to suspend Mr Biti because he has been implicated in a plot to de-campaign other senior officials ahead of next year’s congress."
Another source confirmed this, adding: "After announcing Mr Mashakada’s new responsibilities, the president called for an inventory of all party assets, particularly vehicles.
"He ordered that all party vehicles should be parked at Harvest House upon his return from South Korea where he is going to get an honorary degree."
Insiders said Mr Tsvangirai felt the vehicles were being used in the plot to de-campaign him.
The meeting, sources said, was attended by national and provincial directors.
Delegates were instructed to desist from holding meetings with suspended members.
This is understood to be in apparent reference to Mr Fortune Gwaze (director of policy and research), Rumbidzai Nyamayemombe (director of finance), Samuel Mangoma (co-ordinator and election director) and Mr Freedom Mazwi (personal assistant to the national chairman Lovemore Moyo).
The four allegedly held a meeting with members of the fired Chitungwiza provincial executive.
"He lashed out at the administration department for clandestinely awarding tenders to suspended members.
"He cited the case of the fired Chitungwiza executive member Mr Alexio Musundire who was reportedly awarded the tender to print the party’s newsletter "The Changing Times".
"In his address, the president also castigated some party employees without mentioning any names for mismanaging resources that he had sourced from abroad."
After the meeting, it is alleged Mr Biti confronted Mr Chamisa and accused him of
"selling him out" to Mr Tsvangirai.
Mr Chamisa, the source said, replied saying he too was under attack from the party leader.
"(National youth chairman Mr Thamsanqa) Mahlangu quelled the confrontation," a source said.
Since a violent attack on party director-general Mr Toendepi Shonhe by rowdy youths believed to be loyal to Mr Tsvangirai last month, MDC-T has been battling to keep a lid on the divisions.
Internal investigations have reportedly exposed the existence of two camps in MDC-T vying for key posts at next year’s congress.
While Mr Tsvangirai has publicly expelled five youths for the chaos bedevilling the party, it is understood Mr Shonhe and security chief Mr Kisimusi Dhlamini have also been suspended. |
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