BEFORE the dust caused by the recent fierce boardroom fights in the MDC-T has settled down, the splinter group led by the party’s “axed” secretary-general Tendai Biti has already hit the road campaigning and telling supporters that a new party will be unveiled soon. OBEY MANAYITI STAFF REPORTER
Addressing a campaign rally attended by over a hundred supporters in Mutare on Saturday at the party’s provincial headquarters, Biti blasted party leader Morgan Tsvangirai for privatising the MDC-T.
“This movement, the renewal movement is in its formative stages. We are in that transition where we have to hold on to the name MDC for certain strategic reasons,” Biti said.
“But let no one, let no man or woman doubt that we are going to have our own name, our own symbols, own colour.
“But we pledge to work with others. We pledge to work with other real democrats, churches, civil society and other political parties,” he said.
He said the MDC-T had failed to offer solutions to the Zimbabwean crisis.
The former Finance minister also said Zimbabwe should be put under the curatorship of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) because the current government will not be able to break the current political and economic crisis.
Notable people at the rally were former Makoni South MP Pishai Muchauraya, Patrick Sagandira and former Mutare mayor Brian James.
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Biti also accused Tsvangirai of turning down expert advice last year when he was urged not to participate in the harmonised elections as it was apparent that he was going to lose by a wide margin.
“You cannot do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. Elections were rigged and it needs sharp brains to see how Zanu PF rigged elections,” he said.
“What we are doing is to create a new paradigm. We have to create a new vision. The time for personalised politics is over.
“The time for sloganeering your way to State House is over. The time for singing your way to State House is over. You have to create a new narrative. You have to create a new discourse, a new vision and new paradigm.
“You have to play smart politics and smart politics means you got to have a programme. Smart politics means you have to work with others,” he said.
Biti also said they were looking for ways to take care of victims of political violence.
